Hold My Heart
by Faythren
Summary: One-Shot collection. Yugi grows a lot during her time with Yami. She helps him and he helps her and they just sort of fall through life together. Neither of them expected another kind of falling. They avoid acknowledging it, but that doesn't mean it isn't there, burning softly. That warm, unspoken thing, waiting for a chance to ignite. fem!Yugi, Yugi/Yami, eventual Yugi/Atem
1. Prologue

_**Author's Note**_

_Well, it looks like I'm back in business. For past readers wanting to know what's been up and **why** I'm currently posting to **none** of the fandoms I've promised, see the End Notes. For new readers, welcome! I've made some changes to this universe for my own amusement, which I'll explain._

_For one, you should know that I've never read the manga of this. I've just seen the anime, and that's what I've based this whole fic on. So, English names, Yugi lives with just his grandpa, and only the events from the anime take place._

_Second, I am aware that they live in Japan. However, I was lazy and didn't feel like doing research, particularly on how the Japanese school system is set up. So, to make things easier on myself, I have them living in America. I'm sorry if that sits wrong with some of you, but I wrote this fic mostly for myself and just wanted to have some fun with it without worrying too much about details. It's easier to write what you know and all that jazz._

_Third, and this is the biggest thing, I've genderswapped Yugi. That's right, this is a fem!Yugi fic. Not that I'm opposed to normal Yugi/Yami but, well, Yami was my first fictional crush. And I am a very straight female. Like I said, this fic is mostly for me. I decided to write this whole thing on a whim._

_Fourth, this starts out as Yugi/Yami, but we do get to Yugi/Atem eventually. As of right now, there's more Yami than Atem. That might change as I keep writing, but I don't really know at this point._

_And last but not least, this is just a collection of one-shots. No set plot or anything like that. I've got quite a few of them done already. Don't know yet when/where it'll end and they won't necessarily be in order. I'll try to warn you about that if it happens, though I've written things in order so far._

_Right, so, to keep up with tradition I'll post two chapters today. The first one here is a sort of prologue to set up some of the changes and where in the series we're jumping in. The second will be the first actual one-shot, which will be up shortly._

_Okay, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

Yugi can't really put a finger on when, exactly, she knew she was no longer alone. That someone else—some other presence—existed inside her mind. Inside her heart. Different feelings, different emotions, different thoughts and ideas and personality and memories. Or lack thereof, as it turned out.

He just blossomed inside her head, gradually making room until it became as if he was always there. She can't imagine not having him now.

She had an idea of something off when the last piece of the Millennium Puzzle slotted into place. A force, an energy, surged through her veins like a spike of adrenalin. She thought it was just her imagination, but it never really went away. A subtle current inside of her every place the chain or the Puzzle itself touches her. Even though her clothes.

Then she dueled.

And the energy surged up again, just as strong as when she finished the puzzle. With it came knowledge, an understanding of the cards in her deck and on her opponent's side of the field that she didn't have before. Her mind felt more calculating, inventive strategies bubbling up that she never would have thought of a moment ago, along with a confidence in her abilities—and herself—that she's never felt before.

The heart of the cards never felt more powerful—more real—than in that moment.

But it wasn't until later—when Yugi made it to Pegasus's castle on Duelist Kingdom and she dueled against Kaiba—that she truly knew. That someone else shared her body.

Because she never could sacrifice someone else's life, not for anything. Not even her grandpa's soul.

They confronted each other for the first time, then. She met the spirit of the puzzle.

Yami.

The thought of someone else sharing her body and occasionally taking control of it should freak her out. Especially a _guy_. However, in meeting him, she not only became aware of his presence. She became aware of a connection they share. A constant exchange of emotions, like an empathic link. She can tell how he feels and she could feel his sincerity when he vowed never to go against her like that again.

She can also tell how alone he feels. _Lost_.

She couldn't stay mad at him. Or afraid. Not in the face of that. If he wants to help her and her friends—and, boy, does he offer good help—she'll let him.

Then some random guy in a turban stuck a key in her forehead. And she found the soul rooms.

It's a weird experience, being in the soul rooms. Experiencing touch and sensation, even though it's all literally inside her head. Inside her soul. But it's not just her soul, not anymore. She found a corridor leading to an entirely different room. An entirely different soul, just across the hallway. Yami's soul.

And she realized just how lost he was, his mind, his past, his memories a mystery, even to himself. His very identity obscured in doors that defy all logic, his soul room forming a labyrinth twisting upside-down and sideways and meant to confuse anyone looking to find out the truth. A truth not even Yami knows how to find, no matter how much he tries.

How can someone _exist_ like that without losing all hope? Without losing himself and giving into despair?

When they got home—with her shiny new title as the Queen of Games and all of her friends and family saved—she made her own vow, to help Yami however she can. The question is, how?

A question she has no answer to. Just more questions buried in the sands of history.

Life and time went on, and they had to move with it. Surprisingly, it was easy to find a balance with Yami. He kept to himself most of the time, staying within the puzzle and his soul room. He couldn't see or hear anything when in there—their bond making it impossible for him to lie about something like this—so Yugi had the privacy she needed, though he could sense when she needed him through their bond. He never spied on her, he was never a pervert, and he never did anything inappropriate with her body.

But after a while, he didn't _always_ stay inside the puzzle.

He floats next to her, an invisible ghost only she can see looking almost exactly like her. Just a male version, with more muscle and sharper edges and almost a head taller than her, to her irritation. Those changes take over her body whenever he takes control, too.

Except the being male part, to her relief. It really is a good thing she can't stand her school uniform, changing into jeans, a black tank, and a long jacket almost as soon as the final bell rings. Because that would be even weirder, a guy taking control of her body and wearing a skirt.

She asked once, if it bothers him. Possessing a female body. Yami just shrugged, saying that he doesn't really feel any different than when he's in spirit form, with his own "body" and everything being what he's used to. He just has an actual sense of touch instead of vague impressions of pressure.

Ancient Egyptian magic is weird. Or maybe that's just a ghost thing.

But in between taking the lead for a duel and being inside the puzzle, sometimes Yami comes out in spirit form and just...hangs out. Observes. Makes comments. Asks questions about the modern world. She suspects it gets boring in that crazy soul room of his.

And lonely.

He wants company. Something she is more than willing to give.

And so they learn more about each other, and themselves, in the time they spend together. And they learn that some bonds can never be broken.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_So, the main thing in this chapter is how I see the whole fem!Yugi/Yami coexistence working. Hope it sounds believable, I didn't really want to get too in-depth into it. This is also picking up just about right after Duelist Kingdom. That's when most of the Yugi/Yami interactions start picking up in the anime._

_Now, the reason I'm doing a Yu-Gi-Oh! fic and not anything else I've promised (for those of you who care). The past several months have been rather difficult for me. There's been a lot of changes, including a big move to a new city and a death in the family. I haven't actually felt like writing for months. Then I got really sick, the kind where you're stuck on the couch for days. And I discovered that Hulu has the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! series. I absolutely loved that show when I was a kid, so I started watching it for a little childhood comfort. And proceeded to bingewatch the entire first series in a manner of weeks. Inspiration struck for a fem!Yugi (thank you, Kaiba, for the fem!Mokuba in that virtual video game the gang got stuck in) and there were some unanswered questions I was itching to provide answers to. It got me writing again. So, once I'm done here, hopefully I'll be able to go back to Transformers, and maybe Jurassic World as well. _

_Alright, the next chapter will be up in a few minutes. Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	2. What She Gained

_**Author's Note**_

_Alright, the first actual chapter of this fic! I would like to take this opportunity to say that I don't own anything Yu-Gi-Oh! related (yadda, yadda, disclaimer, yadda, yadda) and that the title for this fic was inspired by a song by Lindsey Sterling, "Hold My Heart feat. ZZ Ward". Honestly, this whole fic was kind of inspired by it._

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**What She Gained**_

Yugi stares at the computer screen, that small, blinking curser glaring at her from the digital white page. Mocking. Teasing about the words she seems unable to write. Though she doesn't really hear the taunts. Her head wanders a million miles away, to an island full of danger and monsters and magic.

Her body came back to civilization, but the rest of her remains trapped, as if Pegasus really did manage to suck out her soul.

"_Yugi?"_ a voice says to her left, Yami's spirit materializing to sit on the edge of her bed, one leg crossed over the other. His eyes glimmer with concern, though the rest of his face gives nothing away. She wouldn't recognize the feeling if not for the bond. _"Is everything alright?"_

She sighs, leaning back in her desk chair. Wow, she must have been wandering pretty far for Yami to notice from inside the puzzle. "Yeah, I'm fine," she says, glaring back at her computer screen. "I'm just struggling to get this paper finished."

Or even started.

His head cocks curiously. _"Is this one of your essays for school? What is it supposed to be about?"_

"Yeah, I'm supposed to write about the book we just finished reading in English class. _The __Great Gatsby_." Her mouth screws up in distaste. "Well, we were _supposed_ to have it finished. Between everything that went on with grandpa and Duelist Kingdom, I…never really had time to finish it."

"_But we've been back for over a week."_

Yugi ducks her head, cheeks heating. "Well…I guess…I've just had a hard time concentrating."

Concern flickers along the bond again. _"And why is that? Is something wrong?"_

"I just…," she sighs again, "how am I supposed to do this, Yami?"

Yami leans forward, legs uncrossing for his elbows to perch on his knees. _"Do what?"_

"Move on. I mean, what we just went though…it was insane. Pegasus stole my grandpa's soul. And Kaiba's and Mokuba's too. Just to get his hands on the Millennium Puzzle." Yugi runs a hand through her hair, the short, spiky strands going every which way before springing back into place to hover around her head like a black, red, and gold halo. Yami's hair looks even wilder than hers, practically standing straight up, and she wonders if that trait carried over from when he was alive. "We almost died, several times. And we can't tell anyone about it—not even the authorities—because, well, who would believe us? So all of that crazy stuff happened to us and we're supposed to just go on like everything's normal. Like it never happened at all."

Yami stares stone-faced down at his hands, idly rubbing them together. _"I'm sorry."_

Yugi blinks owlishly at him. She can practically taste his guilt, sour and dank on her tongue. "What for?"

"_For putting you in such danger. None of those things would have happened if it wasn't for me."_

She swivels sharply in her chair to face him, shouting, "No, I—!"

Soft banging reverberates from downstairs and Yugi pauses, both of them glancing warily at the door. Did grandpa hear her? Is he going to come up and check on her? They wait in tense silence, ears straining, but footsteps never tread nearer. Yugi sighs in relief.

She really needs to stop talking to Yami aloud. But it's so hard _not_ to treat him as an actual person, as if he's actually there for everyone else to see and hear, instead of an invisible ghost.

Who cares if people think she's crazy, anyway? She's certainly been through worse.

"I don't regret anything that happened," she continues at a normal volume, facing him again to give him her full attention. She puts the full force of her words into the bond, pushing it back at him so he has no doubt. "Especially after what I got out of it. And Joey—he got the money for his sister's operation. Really, everything turned out pretty alright in the end. It's just a bit surreal now, I guess?" She shrugs, awkwardly spinning her chair back and forth with her feet in time to the blinking curser. "I don't know. I'm sure it'll pass in a few more days."

Yami stays silent, guilt abating slightly, if only just. Like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders and no one else's. He's responsible for it all. Yugi wonders if she can break him of that. Or is it too deeply ingrained from his past life?

"_What do you mean, what you gained?"_ he asks suddenly, blank face giving nothing away. _"Do you mean becoming the Queen of Games?"_

"What? No!" She shakes her head, chuckling fondly. Being the Queen of Games is pretty neat, but definitely not what she's talking about. "I mean you, Yami. I got you as my friend." She bites her lip, suddenly uncertain. "We are friends, right?"

"_Of course,"_ he replies immediately, something warm filling the bond, like a contented cat curling up in a patch of sunlight. He smiles, one of those rare little smiles that lights up his eyes. _"I am happy to have you as a friend, as well, Yugi."_

"Oh." She stops abruptly in her chair before grinning brightly, shoving with her feet into a full spin. "Great! I'm glad."

Yami chuckles, the sound like thunder during a spring rain. It sends a happy tingle down her spine.

She stops her chair back in front of the computer, picking up _Gatsby_ from the desk and thumbing through the pages. Mood light, she wonders if it'll be easier to complete the assignment now, even without having read the book.

"_So what is your book about?"_ Yami asks, walking over to peek at the pages over her shoulder.

She looks up at the ceiling in thought. "Well, I haven't read it, but from what I gather, it's about this rich guy trying to win back the girl he fell in love with years ago."

"_And does it work?"_

"No. From our class discussions, I got the feeling she was too afraid to go after what she really wanted."

Yami's brow furrows, the corners of his mouth down-turning slightly. _"Why stay away when it is something they both desire? Does something keep her from him?"_

"Not sure."

She flips through the pages thoughtfully. Would this be a book Yami would like? What sort of books did he like before? She blinks, mentally kicking herself. They didn't _have_ books back then. They barely had paper back in Ancient Egypt. Well, papyrus. Whatever. So they had, what, plays for stories?

She should really pay more attention in history class.

Feeling the book in her hands, the thinness of it, an idea crops up in her head. The book really isn't that long. And her paper isn't due until the day after tomorrow. If she starts now and stays up late, she should be able to finish it and still get the paper done in time.

"Hey, Yami," she says slowly, hoping she's not about to say something he'll find dumb, "do you want to read it with me?"

He goes unnaturally still, even for a ghost, as slack-jawed as she's ever seen him. _"Really?"_

Heat creeps along her cheeks and down her neck. She keeps her eyes trained on the book. "Well, yeah. I mean, I can hold the book so both of us can see and we can read it at the same time." Another idea pops and she brightens. "Or we can take turns reading aloud!"

Yami just stares at her blankly, not saying a word.

Her shoulders haunch, the heat spreading until it feels like her entire body catches fire. "Never mind," she mumbles softly, setting the book down. "It's a dumb idea. Forget I said anything."

"_No," _Yami says, voice going soft in a strange way. Enough to draw her gaze up. His face has gone just as soft, emotions feeling...touched. _"I would be happy to read with you."_

Yugi's face splits into a grin, but the cool relief doesn't douse the fire. It just seems to burn more brightly for some reason, but she shoves it away. "Great!"

She snatches the book back up and settles cross-legged on the bed, back propped against the wall. Yami sits down beside her, so close she can feel the energy of his presence prickling along her bare shoulder.

Her fingers fumble with the book, clumsily turning to the first page. "Umm, right. So, uh, I can go first if you want?"

"_Fine by me." _Yami leans closer, eagerly awaiting the story. _"We can switch off every few pages?"_

Yugi shifts in her seat, a small smile tugging at her lips and skin prickling pleasantly. "Yeah. That'll work."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_That first line about staring at the computer screen is basically how I've been feeling for months, seriously. It's been horrible. That's also why this chapter is so short. At least, shorter than what I'm typically known for. But that's why I thought a collection of one-shots would be a good way to ease my way back into things. They can be as long or as short as I want. I think this one is about average of what I've written so far, but some of them are quite a bit longer. There's one that I'm even going to have to break into sections, probably._

_So, this chapter is just something cute to get us started. All of these are heavy on the fluff. I've needed fluff. Though there is angst, because I aparently don't know how to **not** write angst eventually, which we will see next chapter. It also has to do with one of those questions I was wanting to answer. When that next chapter will be up, I'm not sure. Life hasn't really slowed down yet. How about I keep a tentative weekly posting, so every Saturday? And we'll just see how that goes?_

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	3. Not Today

_**Author's Note**_

_I had some free time, so I decided to post a little early. This chapter has to do with one of those questions I had from the anime-where are Yugi's parents? What happened to them? Why does he live with his grandpa? Though this is more of a setup for my answer than the entire answer. That's something you'll have to wait for._

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Not Today**_

She was said not to have any malice in her heart. But that's not to say Yugi's never known darkness. Because she has. The kind of darkness that leaves irrevocable scars.

Yugi lies in bed, unable to sleep. Just tossing and turning for over an hour with a brain that refuses to shut down. All she can do is listen to the mundane music of the night. The crickets outside the window. The mechanical hum of the air conditioner. The ticking of the clock down the hallway.

The creak of a floorboard outside her room, shifting with the weight of someone's step.

Are they home already? She sits up, pushing the covers off and creeping towards the door curiously. They said they'd be out late. She thought it would be later than this before they came home.

Just as she opens her door, the door at the end of the hallway softly closes, so quiet she almost doesn't notice the little _thump_. With light footsteps, she approaches it, avoiding the creaking floorboard whoever just went past forgot about.

Yugi hesitates right outside, fingers twisting together in her flannel sleep shirt. Something doesn't feel right. She's not sure what, but something just feels…wrong. Vile. It sends a shiver down her spine, almost making her return to her room. To just hide under her blankets and pretend the vile thing isn't there.

Her feet take her forward, hand reaching for the door handle of its own accord. Breaths shallow, she watches helplessly as the door swings inward.

Darkness blankets the master bedroom, only a sliver of light filtering in from a crack in the window drapes. The shadows seem to ripple, roiling with life just waiting to slither out and grab her. In the middle of them sits the bed, with two figures lying in it.

So they are home. And sound asleep already. That was fast.

But her eyes register something off. Something her mind just doesn't quite understand, just out of her grasp, but niggling at her all the same. It urges her forward, squinting in the little light at the people in the bed. Watching their chests, waiting.

They don't move. Still as stone. And just as unbreathing.

Yugi rushes forward, shaking at the closest shoulder. She shakes and shakes, trying to rouse them while her heart creeps further up her throat. "Mom? Dad? Wake up!"

Nothing. She calls to them, again and again, but they don't move at all.

Then she notices the wetness on her hands.

Palms up, she angles her shaking hands to see them in the moonlight coming from the window. Something dark coats them, glimmering a dark crimson.

Blood.

"No," she mutters, shaking her head and backing up as tears fill her eyes. "No! Get up! Please, get up!"

Her parents don't respond.

But the shadows do.

They bubble and ooze, thickening into tendrils that writhe like a nest of snakes. They fling out to grab at her, faster than she can even see. Yugi screams, stumbling away into the nightstand, but the tendrils wrap around her wrists and ankles, holding her so tight her bones ache.

She screams again, yanking against their hold as they drag her closer to the shadows at the foot of the bed.

"Help me!" she screams to the empty house. "Somebody help me, please!"

A deep chuckling echoes in the room, pouring dread into her very soul until it feels like her ribs will crack with the force of it. Red eyes blink open in the darkness, glowing with malice and the promise of pain.

"_Yugi...," _another voice whispers through the dark, quiet as a breeze and faintly familiar.

The tendrils continue to pull at her, dragging her towards those eyes, towards the thing with blood on its claws. She can hear it dripping—_plink, plink, plink_—with every inch of ground she loses. It wants to add her blood to the puddle on the floor. To devour her until nothing's left.

"_Yugi!" _the voice calls out again. She should know that voice. Why does she know that voice? It feels like safety and home and a confidence she only feels when she's dueling.

Wait, dueling...

"Yami!" she calls out, fighting back against the darkness even harder than before. "Yami, help me!"

"_Yugi, I'm right here!"_

His voice seems to come from the door leading back out into the hallway. She pulls back on her arms, digging her feet into the carpet until she finally gets a hand free. Clawing with her nails at the tendrils, she quickly gets the other arm free as well, then her feet. Scrambling to find her balance, she races towards the door, slamming into it and yanking it open.

The hallway is not the hallway of her childhood home. This is ancient stone going on endlessly to the left and right, with another door right across from her etched with an Egyptian eye.

The door to Yami's soul room bursts open and there he is, reaching out for her. "Take my hand, Yugi! Quickly!"

She reaches for him. Only for the shadows to surge around her, tendrils of darkness enveloping her entire body to drag her back into her own soul room.

"No, Yami!" she pleads, hand still outstretched, but her mind starting to fade as the shadows slip over her face, her neck, her chest. Oblivion calls, along with the vile laughter.

But then a hand grasps her own.

* * *

_"Yugi..."_

"_Yugi...wake up..."_

"_Come back to me, Yugi."_

Yugi's eyes fly open as she sucks in a gasp, heart pounding in her chest and palms slick. Her fingers slide together wetly, tinged with red, and she flails back as panic clamps around her lungs.

"No," she sobs, rubbing at her hands to make the red go away, scratching with her nails.

"Hey, hey," a voice soothes in her ear, hands coming up around her to cup her face. Yami forces her to look at him, his eyes and voice as steady as his touch. "You're safe now, Yugi. I promise."

Her mouth gulps in air, coming faster and faster as she continues to scrub at her hands. "But...the blood...!"

One of his hands moves to grasp her wrists, light but strong enough to make her stop. He lowers his face to make him eye-level with her, stating firmly, "There is no blood."

She blinks, disbelieving, swearing she can still feel the stickiness between her fingers. "No..."

"Look." He takes both her hands in one of his and she flinches, trying to pull away as she shakes her head. He'll get blood on himself, she can't let him get tainted with it. But he just squeezes gently, lifting her hands for her to see. "Look, Yugi. There is no blood."

Her eyes drop to her hands like boulders and freeze.

No blood. Just pale, unblemished skin. No trace of red in sight.

She sags as all the air leaves her in one big _whoosh_. It's not there. It really isn't there. Without thinking, she turns, burying her face in Yami's shoulder and tucking herself as close to him as possible.

It was just a dream. Just another dream.

He doesn't do anything for a second, hesitating, and for that one, split second, she thinks he's going to push her away. That he doesn't want to bother with a scared little girl unable to cope with her own nightmares.

But then his arms wrap around her, tightly holding her to his chest.

Her body trembles with the shear amount of safety and comfort and warmth that he exudes down the bond, banishing the last remnants of her fear with every stroke of his fingers through her hair.

She's safe. No evil can get them so long as they're together.

She clings to that thought as her body begins to calm, awareness dripping back as her breaths even out. And the first thing she notices is that she's in Yami's lap.

Yami's holding her in his lap.

Embarrassment heats her cheeks, only to be completely forgotten when she realizes how…real…Yami feels. Solid. And warm.

Her eyes open again and she gasps for an entirely different reason this time.

They're in a room she's never seen before, made of solid stone with elaborate pillars and carvings. Intricate Egyptian murals cover the walls in hieroglyphics and depictions of brightly-colored figures from ancient mythology. A faint breeze makes her turn her head to look over her shoulder and her eyes widen even further.

They sit in a little nook in the wall, on a ledge in front of a wide window. Yami's perched on a pile of pillows with his back against the wall of the nook, the both of them overlooking an oasis of trees in the middle of a vast desert.

"Where are we?" Yugi whispers, awed by the beauty and peace of this place. She's never seen anything quite like it, already knowing before he answers that they are definitely not in Domino City anymore.

"My soul room," Yami says just as softly, voice taking on that sad edge it does whenever thinking of his lost memories. "I was looking for a place for us to rest when I stumbled upon this room. I…think I've been here before, but I…."

Been here before, once upon a time. Once upon a memory. A memory he no longer has.

Yugi buries her fingers in the front of his shirt, trying to offer whatever comfort she can. It's such a hard thing for him to think about, having all this inside his head but knowing nothing about any of it. Whatever bits and pieces of his memories he does manage to find, he never recognizes anything.

He only ever finds more questions in all his searching.

"Thank you," she says, not knowing what else to say, "for sharing this place with me. It's beautiful."

She feels the smile in him rather than sees it, unwilling to move her head from his shoulder. "It is, isn't it?"

They sit in silence for a few moments, enjoying the breeze coming in from the little lake down below. Yami's fingers continue to stroke through her hair and Yugi feels herself finally fully relax, tension easing from her shoulders. If her weight makes Yami uncomfortable, he doesn't show it, so she stays where she is in his lap and enjoys being wrapped in his arms for as long as possible.

She forgot that they can feel each other like this in the soul rooms. She can count on one hand how many times they've been together in the same room, but there was always a shoulder squeeze or a hand grasp in solidarity. And it always felt real.

Having a real hug from Yami feels really nice, too.

"Yugi?" he asks, sometime later, jostling out of her hazy thoughts.

"Hmm?'

"What was that back there? The shadows in your soul room, I've never seen them before."

She should have known he'd ask. Yami's been in her room before, just as she's been in his. He's never seen such darkness in her soul. She gets that a lot of people consider her to be really innocent. Even naive at times. She can be too trusting and too forgiving and always looking for the good in everybody.

But that's not to say she doesn't know darkness. Because she does. The brightest of lights cast the longest of shadows, after all.

And this shadow lashed out at her, three years ago. Infecting her with a wound that won't ever truly heal.

But how does she put all of that into words? Just thinking about it sends another shudder down her spine, hearing that haunting laughter again as if those red eyes are right behind her.

"Yugi?" Yami prompts, feeling her shaking and pulling her even closer.

She ducks her head, mumbling into his shirt, "Is it…is it okay if I can't talk about it right now? I don't mean to keep anything from you, it's just…it's hard. I just can't."

"It's alright," Yami tells her softly, tucking her head beneath his chin. "I understand. You don't have to talk about anything until you're absolutely ready. But…have you ever talked about this with anyone before?"

She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around his waist to settle more fully against him. "Grandpa knows…the root of it, but no. I never really talked about it with anyone before. It's something I try _not_ to think about."

"Avoiding something does not make it go away," Yami tells her, not unkindly, just stating a truth. A truth Yugi knows but has also been trying to avoid.

"I get that. But just...not today?"

"Not today," he agrees easily. "In the meantime, you should get some sleep. Your mind needs rest just as much as your body."

Yugi tenses all over again, fingers clutching at the back of his shirt. "I don't want to go back there. I...what if they're still there? The shadows."

"You don't have to go back to your own soul room. You can stay here. I'll watch over you."

She tips her head up, consciously looking at Yami for the first time since waking up. She's seen that look on his face before. It's the same look he gets when he duels for the people he cares about. When someone's life depends on it.

And she can depend on him.

Gratitude beats down the bond to Yami, stronger than any words she can ever say. His answer feels like his hug, soft and sure with a tinge of something warm she has no name for. Something she's not ready to look at more closely. Not yet.

Neither of them talks again after that. They don't try to mention getting Yugi to an actual bed. No one tries to suggest that she should even move from Yami's lap. Yami just gently eases her up to sitting, adjusting the pillows behind him a bit before reclining back more fully. He guides her down, practically laying her on top of him. Chest to chest, legs tangled together, and Yami's arms wrapped tightly around her.

None of her friends would ever do this with her. Not even Téa, though she's always good with a quick hug. But Joey wouldn't, and he's her best friend. Tristan would probably spontaneously combust at just the suggestion.

With Yami, it doesn't feel odd. Or awkward. Just natural—partners comforting each other, holding each other together.

Yugi gazes out at the oasis, thanking whatever gods might be listening that Yami was given to her. He makes her believe that maybe, just maybe, she'll one day be able to vanquish the shadows of her soul.

But in the meantime, she basks in Yami's presence, lulled by his fingers in her hair and slipping into a sound sleep in his arms.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Ahh, the fluff. When starting this fic, I really just wanted to write some Yugi/Yami cuddles. So you'll be getting more of this in the near future._

_So, as for the answer. The obvious answer to why Yugi is living with his grandpa and not his parents is that they're dead. However, I decided to give it a more...notorious answer than just a car accident or something. As I said, full details will come in a future chapter. Because, as Yugi and Yami said, not today._

_Next chapter will come on actual Saturday. Or earlier, if I feel like it._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	4. Partners

_**Author's Note**_

_An ode to the days of school when I, myself, would stubbornly drag myself to class while sick as a dog._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Partners**_

As soon as Yugi's eyes crack open in the morning, she knows it's going to be a miserable day.

Pain tears along her throat like razorblades every time she swallows, the cold she felt coming on last night now raging in full force. Her limbs feel achy and heavy, her head already starting to throb in time with her heartbeat. Getting upright proves to be a struggle, arms shaking as she pushes up with her hands with a low groan.

She doesn't have time for this. She has an algebra test today. She stayed up late studying for the darn thing. This is no time to be done in by a little cold.

Yami fades into view, ghostly presence sitting on the edge of her bed looking concerned. _"Yugi, are you alright?"_

She opens her mouth to answer but a sneeze cuts her off, followed quickly by another and then another. Groaning internally, she wipes at her nose with the side of her hand, feeling her sinuses stuff up and adding to the pressure in her head.

Great. Just great.

"I'm fine," she answers groggily. Even her voice sounds stuffed up, the act of talking also sending another stabbing pain through her throat. She holds in a wince. "A little breakfast and I'll be ready to tackle this day."

_"Are you sure?"_ he asks, completely unconvinced. _"You don't look so good."_

"Of course, I'm sure," she says, as brightly as possible as she drags herself out of bed. "Now, come on, I gotta get ready for school."

Yami frowns, looking like he wants to argue, but he retreats into the puzzle anyway to give her privacy.

Happy to be alone for the moment, Yugi lets her shoulders droop, trudging with heavy feet towards the bathroom to start her morning routine. The longer she stays upright, the heavier her body seems to feel. Still, she keeps herself moving, until she's dressed and grapping up her backpack to head downstairs.

Grandpa stands at the stove, bacon sizzling in a pan. At her thudding footfalls, he glances at her over his shoulder, offering an exuberant, "Good morning, Yugi! You ready for some breakfast?"

Yugi almost says yes out of habit, but her stomach has other ideas, roiling at just the smell of food. Holding back her gag reflex, she drudges up a smile. "Uh, no, Grandpa, I think I'll pass today."

He frowns, turning around fully with the spatula still in his hand. "Are you sure, Yugi? You've never passed up bacon before."

"Yeah, yeah," she says quickly, nodding while edging backwards towards the door. "I just, uh, remembered I needed to make a stop at the library before class so I need to head out now so I'm not late."

Before her grandpa can get out another protest, Yugi rushes out the door, taking off down the street at a brisk pace. She doesn't get very far before she has to slow, though, panting and wheezing through the stuffiness in her nose.

_"Yugi,"_ Yami says from right next to her, hand raised as if to touch her shoulder. _"You really should return home. You are unwell."_

She shakes her head. "I'll be fine. It's just a little cold. Nothing I can't handle."

Yami's fingers curl into a fist as his hand lowers. _"But, Yugi…."_

"I'm fine," she says, more firmly this time. She starts walking down the street, keeping her eyes trained forward. "Today's Friday. I get through today, and I'll be able to rest as long as I need all weekend. I can do this."

So long as she just keeps one foot moving in front of the other, she can do this. The Sudafed she took a little while ago should be kicking in soon. All she has to do is keep taking another pill every couple of hours and not forget to do it.

Not giving Yami an opportunity to talk her out of this, she just keeps heading down the sidewalk towards school. Tèa, Joey, and Tristan join her one by one and Yugi plasters on a smile, attempting to act like everything's normal.

It'll be fine. Her throat is still on fire, but everything'll be fine.

Yami stays visible just out of the corner of her eye, remaining outside the puzzle, even when the first bell rings. Yugi's brow furrows, glancing at him as she switches out books from her locker. It's odd. Usually, he retreats to his soul room. He'll idly listen to the lessons sometimes—always interested in the modern world and how things have changed over the past several thousand years—but he seems to have decided to be more present today. Like he can keep her going just by being there.

It would be sweet if his hovering wasn't driving her slowly insane. He'd mother-hen her if he was truly physical, she can tell. She's just glad he can't tell the others how crummy she's feeling, despite the medicine taking the edge off.

School goes slowly. Dreadfully slowly. Each class seems to ooze by, every tick of the clock sending a twinge of pain through her throat and head. A chill sweeps into her a little before lunchtime, making her silently curse the school uniform.

Seriously, making girls wear these short skirts all the time, leaving their legs completely bare. It's so not fair. Digging around in her backpack, she pulls out her jacket, slipping it on over her uniform. It's longer than the jacket of her uniform, but not by much, hanging only a little below the edge of her skirt. Still, the added warmth helps a little, at the very least offering some small comfort.

The bell rings and Yugi blinks, looking up from her desk. Huh, class is over. What was the lesson about? She doesn't really remember what the teacher was talking about. And she didn't take any notes.

Mind fuzzy, the thought slips away. Whatever, it's not really important. Something to worry about later. She gathers her stuff, slinging her backpack on a shoulder and joining the throng of people in the hallway to make her way to the cafeteria.

Another sneeze bursts out of her nose, burying her face in her elbow just in time before she contaminates the people around her. They still give her disgusted looks, though, and she slows down, allowing them to pass and pulling a tissue out of her jacket pocket.

She blows her nose but it doesn't help, head feeling like a stuffed balloon. When did she take her last pill? It's got to be close to time for the next one. Or at least close enough. Finding a water fountain, she pops a Sudafed in her mouth, swallowing it down with a gulp of water that goes down like a handful of nails.

There's still, what, four more hours of school left? And she still has her algebra test, though at least she has lunch first. A break and then her test and then she can just lay her head down on her desk for the rest of her other classes.

She can do this. She can totally do this.

Things go a little blurry all of a sudden, another chill going up her spine. She pulls her jacket tighter around herself. Why is it so cold?

Her legs give out a little on her next step, causing her to stumble into the lockers next to her. She stops, taking in a deep breath.

She's fine. Everything is fine. This isn't really that bad.

"Yugi?" a voice says at her shoulder, Tèa bending over her in concern. "Yugi, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Yugi pants, stomach roiling unpleasantly. Oh, gods, please not that. She'd rather not lose her nonexistent breakfast in the middle of the hall.

_"That's quite enough, Yugi."_

"Wha-?"

In a blink, Yugi finds herself floating outside her body, students passing through her transparent form. The feeling is so disconcerting, her chest tingling with static every time someone goes through her. How does Yami put up with this all the time?

He should still be putting up with it now.

_"Hey!" _she huffs, crossing her arms in front of her chest._ "That is so not cool!"_

Though, since she's not the one in the driver's seat at the moment, at least she doesn't feel the effects of her cold so strongly. So that's something.

But Yami feels them.

Yami leans heavily against the lockers, taking deep breaths through his mouth. Tèa steps close in order to avoid the crowd, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Yugi? Say something, are you okay?"

After one last, deep breath, Yami straightens, sweat beading down his brow. Tèa takes in a little gasp, recognizing Yami's eyes and that they've switched places. "Yugi is not okay. She is quite ill and needs to go home."

_"Yami, what are you doing?"_ Yugi demands, glad no one can see her and she can yell as much as she wants. Even without her throat hurting too bad. _"I've still got classes left today, plus a really important test. I can't go home yet."_

_"You're in no condition to be going anywhere except back to bed,"_ Yami says, leaving no room for debate. _"Do you really think you'll even do well on that test if you take it in this condition?"_

A scathing remark sits on the tip of her tongue when Yami breaks out into a sneezing fit, quickly scrambling for more tissues.

Guilt clamps Yugi's mouth shut. Yami wouldn't be dealing with all of this if it wasn't for her.

"Alright, you just hang in there," Tèa says, looking frantically out over the crowd. She spots someone and waves her hand in the air. "Joey! Over here!"

Joey spots them, quickly pushing through the crowd until he stands by their side. "Woah, Yug, you don't look so hot. You feeling alright?"

"No," Yami replies flatly, and Joey realizes as well that Yugi isn't the one in control at the moment. "What do I need to do to get us out of here?"

"Uh, right." Joey looks up and down the hallway helplessly for a moment before taking Yami's arm, pulling it around his own shoulders and keeping Yami upright. "Let's get you to the nurse's office. They'll be able to call your grandpa to come and get yah."

"Come on, this way." Tèa takes the lead, helping them make it through the crowd towards the front of the school. Yugi floats along behind them, worried about how weak Yami seems. He's barely getting his feet under him to walk.

Was she really that bad?

_"Let me take back over, Yami,"_ Yugi says softly, hating to see him struggle like this. _"I'll go home, I promise. You don't have to deal with this anymore."_

He gives a subtle shake of his head as Joey lowers him into one of the chairs in the nurse's office, Tèa going to the desk to talk to the secretary. _"No, it's okay. I will take the lead for a while. You've dealt with this all morning already."_

_"But I'm the one who got sick. It's my body. I should be the only one to deal with it."_

_"Yugi, you and I are partners." _Yami looks up at her with a snuffle, giving her a small smile even though he's the only one who can see her. _"You've already done so much for me. Let me do this for you."_

_"But…."_

_"No buts, partner."_

Tèa comes back over, hands clasped behind her back. "Well, they've called your grandpa and he's on his way. He'll be here soon."

"Thank you," Yami sighs, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall behind him. "You can both go now if you want. I know you need to get back to class."

"Yug, are you sure?" Joey asks uncertainly, glancing back at the desk. "I mean, I'm sure they'd write us both an excuse if you wanted us to wait with you."

He shakes his head. "No, I should be fine now. There's nothing more you can do."

"If you're sure," Tèa says, not sounding so sure herself but stepping towards the door. "You get lots of rest and feel better, Yugi, you here?"

"And call us if yah need anything," Joey adds.

Yami nods weakly. "Of course. Thank you."

They both leave after that, leaving Yami and Yugi alone. A nurse comes in to check Yami over, confirming Yugi's fear that she has a fever. So that's why she suddenly got chills. Lovely. It'll take even longer to kick this thing now.

Grandpa arrives not long after that, gently admonishing Yugi for leaving the house when she didn't feel well. Yami doesn't say anything, just nods and follows him to the taxi waiting at the front of the school, but Yugi feels horrible. If she had just stayed home in the first place, then grandpa wouldn't have had to close up the shop to come all the way to the school to get her.

It's not like she got to even take her test anyway. She just caused a big mess for everybody.

When they get back to the game shop, Yugi takes back over without Yami saying a word, trudging upstairs to change back into pajamas. Her mind seems to be getting even fuzzier as the fever takes a stronger hold, and she barely manages to make it into bed before collapsing into an exhausted puddle.

Man, being sick is the worst.

Grandpa fusses over her for a while, taking her temperature, trying to get her to eat—and failing, eating is seriously the last thing on her mind right now—and making her as comfortable as possible. The best thing for her at this point is rest, though, so eventually he goes back downstairs to let her sleep.

Yugi sighs deeply, shifting on her pile of pillows to find a more comfortable position. Sitting up in bed helps her breathe better but she still aches all over. Sleep will not come easily.

_"Are you alright, Yugi?"_ Yami asks, materializing right beside her sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I will be," she mumbles, trying to be as gentle with her throat as possible. She pops one of the cough drops grandpa brought her into her mouth, hoping to soothe at least one of her aches for a little while. "I'm sorry."

Yami blinks at her in surprise. _"Whatever for?"_

"For not listening to you this morning. You were just trying to look out for me. And because I was stubborn, you had to walk around with _my_ illness for a while."

Yami's mouth ticks up in a small smile as he shakes his head. _"I will never regret helping you when you need me, Yugi. I only regret that I can't do more."_

Yugi sucks on the throat lozenge in thought, not saying anything until it completely dissolves. "Well, maybe…."

_"What is it, Yugi?"_

She hesitates, biting her lip. No, it's a dumb request.

_"Really, Yugi. Anything at all, so long as it is within my power to give you."_

"Could we, maybe…." She hesitates again but, well, there really isn't any harm in asking, is there? "Could we go to the oasis?"

_"The oasis?"_ He looks away for a moment before understanding clicks. _"You mean the place in my soul room overlooking the oasis?"_

She nods timidly, playing with the edges of her blanket. "I just thought…it's so peaceful there and maybe being in the soul room will make it easier for me to rest."

More words bubble up in her chest but she clamps her mouth shut, biting them off before they can escape.

There's more to it than that. But there's no way she's asking him that.

Yami's hand covers hers, the staticky feeling of him stopping her fidgeting. She looks up at him, trying to hide behind the blonde strands of her bangs. He smiles softly, the warmth of it reaching his eyes and filling him up in ways she rarely sees.

"Let's go," he tells her and she smiles brightly, eagerly closing her eyes and reaching out to the power of the puzzle that still hangs around her neck.

When she opens her eyes again, she already stands in Yami's soul room, the labyrinth seeming to stretch out for miles and miles all around her. It takes her aback, chest squeezing tightly. She expected to wake up in her own soul room, not for Yami to have let her in already.

His trust leaves her breathless.

"How are you feeling?" Yami asks, coming out of one of the many doors to join her.

Yugi rubs her neck absently through the choker necklace she still wears, swallowing a few times to test out her throat. Dull, instead of a sharp pain. And she doesn't feel as chilled from the fever. "Better. Still not great but everything feels, I don't know, more distant. I don't feel it as strongly."

"That's good." He holds out his hand invitingly. "Ready?"

"Yeah!" She takes his hand—marveling at the solidness of him yet again while in this not-quite-real place—and together they navigate the winding hallways. They know instinctively where to go, despite only having been to the room once, never hesitating for a second.

After a few sideways turns and upside-down doors, they find the one they want, entering the Egyptian paradise. By unspoken agreement, they ignore the other cushions and sitting areas that dot the room, gravitating towards the window seat in the back.

Yami squeezes her hand, taking a seat first before guiding her down next to him. They sprawl against the pillows, Yugi tucked into Yami's side with her head resting on his chest, his arm wrapped tightly around her.

She stares out the window at the oasis, trying valiantly to ignore the heat spreading across her cheeks that has nothing to do with fever.

Yami always touches her so easily. So casually. Gripping a shoulder, taking her hand, holding her close. Like it's the most natural thing in the world. She's never met a more touchy-feely person. Has he always been this way with people? Was that just the way of his culture, how people always acted in ancient Egypt?

Or is it because he has no true sense of touch himself? When Yugi's the one floating around, she just has a vague sense of pressure. Outside of a duel, Yami lives that way all the time.

Except when in the soul rooms. Everything feels so real here.

So does that mean he's simply indulging in a pleasure that's become a luxury to him?

Yami's fingers thread through her hair, making long, lazy strokes that fill her with lethargy. She nuzzles her face against his chest, the black tank top she usually prefers herself feeling soft under her cheek.

Whatever his reason, she soaks it up, pressing herself closer.

"Are you cold?" Yami murmurs softly. "Is it the fever?"

"I'm a little cold," she admits sleepily, feeling her eyelids droop.

A blanket appears at Yami's bidding, draping over them both. "Better?"

"Mmhm."

All of her aches and pains feel so far away now, Yami's scent and presence and warmth stronger than any medicine she could take. He gently prods her along the bond, helping her slip into a deep slumber that lasts all through the night.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_So I guess a little change from canon this chapter? I don't know if it was like this in the manga, but in the anime, Tèa thought of Yugi and Yami as the same person. She said Yami was simply a darker part of Yugi or something like that. Which really irked me. Yami was always his own person, in my opinion, even when he was the one in control of Yugi's body. He couldn't remember his past but, come on, seriously. Being an amnesiac doesn't make him any less a person. He had his own thoughts and feelings and opinions. If he didn't, then he wouldn't have tried to let Kaiba jump off the roof during Duelist Kingdom. I thought Yugi's friends understood that at first, but then Tèa said that, and they acted like they didn't understand when Yugi's soul got captured, and then I think they understood again after spending time with just Yami for a while?_

_I don't know, but yeah. They are two individuals, and in this fic, everyone gets that._

_Next chapter has to do with actual events from the anime, a followup to a certain fire that seriously needed some actual Yugi/Yami followup._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time._


	5. A Burning Warmth

_**Author's Note**_

_I am so, so sorry this is late. I sort of, well, forgot. I'm not quite back into the habit of posting for a story again yet. But, hey, I remembered eventually! And I'll try to update a second time this week to make up for it._

_Now, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**A Burning Warmth**_

The fire started so fast.

One moment, Bandit Kieth is going nuts, and then the next, Yugi's fighting for her life. But not just _her_ life.

Any sane person would have left already, run towards the exits before the fire grows too much and devours any chance for escape. But not Yugi. She ignores the heat, hotter than the hottest summer day in Domino City. She ignores the acrid smoke that fills her lungs with every breath, leaving her burning on the inside, down her throat and into her chest. She ignores the pieces of building beginning to collapse all around her, at any moment one of them possibly falling towards her head.

She only has one thought.

Save Yami.

Yami's soul rests inside the puzzle. If it gets destroyed, Yami will be gone, too. Cast into oblivion. She's not sure how she knows, but she does.

Yami certainly can't tell her right now. He feels so weak, thoughts and emotions as scattered as the puzzle pieces she hastily tries to remember how to fit together. She's the only one who can solve the puzzle. If she doesn't finish it before the fire reaches her, then he could be stuck like this forever, never truly existing at all.

Why did she let a complete stranger hold it? How could she have done something so careless? Risked Yami's life so thoughtlessly?

She glances up at the chain as she slots pieces together, the chain that was supposed to help her keep the puzzle safe. Now, it might take part in the puzzle's demise, keeping it trapped against the dueling arena.

The fire creeps closer, seeking to lick at her clothes, her skin, until nothing but ashes remain.

No, she can't let that happen to Yami. She has to save him.

But she begins to sag, even as the last piece slides home.

Words dance around her. Her name, spoken by familiar voices. Hands grab at her, trying to pull her away. Away from the puzzle. Away from Yami.

Her fingers grip tighter, refusing to let go. The puzzle. She can't leave the puzzle. The voices insist but she refuses. She can't leave him. She won't.

Darkness consumes her, but the puzzle never leaves her hands.

* * *

She notices the sharp pinging first. It pricks at her consciousness—_beep, beep, beep_—like an annoying alarm clock. Her brow furrows, wondering if she's late for school. But it doesn't sound like her normal alarm.

Her eyes crack open, squinting blearily at all the white. This isn't right. There isn't this much white in her room. Her hands clench as she goes to rub at her face, but then she realizes that her hands aren't empty.

_"Yugi? Are you awake?"_

Her eyes slide to the side of the hospital bed.

Yami sits there with his hand atop both of hers, her fingers clutching at the Millennium Puzzle. Her hands tighten, drawing both the puzzle and Yami's hand closer as she shifts to lie on her side.

"You're okay," she mumbles softly, voice hoarse and scratchy from all the smoke she breathed in.

Yami shakes his head in exasperation but his shoulders droop slightly, tension easing out of him. _"I'm not the one who almost burned to death."_

"No, your very self only split into a million pieces." She rolls her eyes. "No big deal or anything."

_"No, it's not. Not compared to your life. You should have waited to retrieve the puzzle until after the fire was extinguished. It's survived five thousand years. A little fire won't hurt it."_

"And risk losing one of the pieces in the rubble? Or worse, letting whoever's behind all this find it first?" She grips the puzzle tighter with one hand, turning the other over to grip his fingers with hers. "Not a chance."

_"Yugi, I put you in enough danger as it is. I don't want you risking your life for me."_

"Well, too bad!" she rasps, hating that she can't properly yell at him right now. Still, using her actual voice feels more satisfying than arguing over the bond. "Seriously, what do you think 'partner' means? What would you have done if it were me stuck in the puzzle?"

Yami doesn't say a word, turning his head away from her and just squeezing her hand tighter.

"That's what I thought." She sighs, closing her eyes tiredly and tucking his hand against her chin. His presence tingles along her skin, present and there. Not lost and broken.

_"Yugi,"_ Yami whispers softly, squeezing her hand tighter, so tight it would almost be painful if he was truly solid. _"I just want to keep you safe."_

"And I feel the same way about you," she says simply, trying to hold back a yawn and failing. "Guess we'll just have to keep each other safe, huh?"

_"Alright, partner."_ She's not sure how she sees his smile even with her eyes closed, but she does. _"We'll keep each other safe."_

"Promise?"

_"Promise."_

She smiles victoriously.

_"However…,"_ he says, his tone making her peek an eye open. He levels her with his sternest look out of the corner of his eye. Jeez, even the side-eye is bad, let alone the full force of it. _"You need to promise not to take any more unnecessary risks."_

Both her eyes snap open, any tiredness forgotten. "It wasn't unnecessary! I told you, I couldn't just leave you there!"

_"No, I understand that. But you didn't need to put the puzzle together right there in the middle of the fire." _He smirks at her, taking the victory she thought she won right out of her hands. _"Face it, partner, that wasn't your brightest idea."_

Yugi winces slightly, contrite. Yeah, maybe it _wasn't_ her best idea. She could have tried to break the chain—like she vaguely remembers Joey and Tristan doing—then take the pieces and solve the puzzle someplace safer. None of that went through her head at the moment, though. All she could think about was Yami, how she couldn't feel him through their bond.

It hadn't been her head she was thinking with.

"Okay, you're right," she mumbles reluctantly, twisting the puzzle's chain around a finger. "I...could have done that better. I'm sorry."

_"So you promise not to do something like that again?"_ he prompts.

She chews on the inside of her cheek, not sure she can actually keep a promise like that. Because if it means protecting her friend, she's willing to do anything. Even stand through another fire while she burns. "I promise to _try_. How's that?"

He frowns, but nods slowly. _"I suppose that's all I can ask for."_

"And I," she swallows thickly, words getting lodged in her throat like the smoke she tried to breathe through, "I'm sorry about everything else that happened, too."

His frown deepens, brow furrowing at the amount of guilt she's unable to hold back._ "What do you mean?"_

"All of that mess was my fault," she says, free hand flapping uselessly in the air before flopping back to the bed. "It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't handed over the puzzle, just like that. I trusted this random stranger with it—with you! I was so stupid and I'm sorry."

_"Yugi,"_ he says softly, placing his other hand on the bed so he can lean over her, trying to catch her eye as she turns her face into the bedspread. _"Yugi, none of that was your fault. You couldn't have known he would run off with it."_

"But he did," she whispers, chest squeezing tightly. "And I almost lost you because of it."

_"No,"_ he says fiercely, letting go of her hand to gently grasp her chin. He turns her face to look up at him, ocher eyes burning bright._ "You are not at fault, not for any of it." _

"But—"

He presses his finger over her lips, shushing her. _"No, Yugi. It's not your fault. And even if it was, I'd forgive you in a heartbeat."_

The backs of her eyes sting as she tries to believe his words. Gods, she doesn't deserve to have a friend like Yami. But she's going to hold onto him for as long as she can.

And she won't let anyone else take him from her. Not ever again.

"Thank you," she whispers against his finger, taking his hand in hers once more.

Yami smiles, the little, soft smile of his that barely ticks up the corners of his mouth but warms his eyes in a way that reflects all the way down the bond. It's quickly become her favorite, filling her all the way down to her toes.

That should worry her. Or at least, she should question it.

Maybe some other day. Today, she's too tired, so she just curls her body around the place where Yami sits, returning his smile with one of her own.

"So, what did I miss while I was out? Is everyone behaving?"

Yami chuckles, weaving their fingers together. _"Not likely."_

Yeah, neither is she.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_I so wanted an actual follow-up to this incident in the series. Yugi risked his literal life for Yami in this episode. There's, like, some serious feelings packed in an act like that and they just brushed right past it. So not cool._

_Next chapter has another follow-up that I wanted. You'll hopefully get it in a day or two._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	6. Another Not Today

_**Author's Note**_

_Grr, late again. I'll get the hang of this, I swear. I have a lot of free time right now, so maybe I can get another chapter edited now and get it posted later today or maybe tomorrow. I'll try, I promise._

_This chapter is a bit short. It takes place after the conclusion of the Battle City Tournament, with the evil Marik defeated and everyone heading back home in the helicopter._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Another Not Today**_

"Yugi, are you sure you're alright?"

Yugi looks up from where she was gazing out at the oasis, marveling at how lifelike it is here. Just small signs of life—the rustling of a bush, a ripple along the surface of the lake, a faint breeze bringing with it the smell of heat and sand and spices. As if they're in a real place instead of a vague impression of a memory that no longer truly exists within Yami's mind. The magic of the puzzle never ceases to amaze her.

"Yugi?" Yami prompts again, touching her foot with his.

They sit on the window seat together, each leaning against an opposite wall in the little nook. Yugi stretches out her leg more to tap her foot back against his, trying to offer as much reassurance as she can across the bond. "I'm fine, Yami. Never better."

"Are you sure? That duel against Marik wasn't easy, especially for you."

That duel really wasn't easy. Shadow Games are no joke. Becoming the physical representation of her and Yami's life points had been one of the most excruciation experiences of her life. With the loss of each life point, it felt like she was losing a piece of herself, torn away by the jaws of a rabid wolf that left the rest of her raw.

But Yami doesn't need to know all of that. He worries about her so much already.

"I'm fine. Maybe kind of tired?"

"Perhaps a nap, then?" Yami suggests, spiky hair swaying in the breeze. "The helicopter won't land in Domino City for a few hours yet."

"Yeah!" Yugi agrees happily, leaning forward as if to move to his side, but then hesitating.

They've been to the oasis several times by now. Every time, they usually end up cuddling on this window seat at one point or another. Here, in this place where touch becomes possible, they simply gravitate to each other.

A sudden fear creeps up on her.

Is this something he actually wants to do, touching so much like this? Is he simply humoring her? Has he been humoring her this entire time, giving in to her wants without any thought to his own? She doesn't want to just assume. This thing between them, it's become so unspoken. And Yugi finds herself wishing she knew what, exactly, Yami wants.

He senses her indecision, offering his small smile and his hand.

She gasps as the bond surges with that warmth she's been unable to name. The thing unspoken—he's put it into a language easy to understand, if she simply lets herself. Because it hides within her own heart as well.

Something she can name.

But afraid to.

She goes to him—because how can she not? Yugi takes his hand and he pulls her to him, laying her at his side and holding her to his chest like he can always keep her there if he just holds on tight enough.

Gods, she wishes that were true. But it's not. Because one day, Yami will be gone.

"Yami…," she starts slowly, not sure how to form her thoughts into words. She wants this and yet she can't have it. This isn't realistic. This can never be anything lasting.

And yet…she wants.

And he does as well.

"Don't," Yami implores softly, that one word holding so much. Yearning. Desperation. A heartache neither of them can keep away. Not forever.

She fists her hand in the front of his shirt as his arm tightens around her. "But…."

"No."

She tilts her head up to look at him. He stares out at the oasis, avoiding her gaze with his face giving away nothing of the turmoil that coils inside of him. Inside them both.

"I know, Yugi, I know," he whispers, taking in a deep breath through his nose before releasing it slowly. "Just…not today."

Not today. Just like they agreed when he discovered her nightmares. It's too difficult for her to talk about yet, and so they agreed to put it off. So long as they do talk about it.

He was kind enough to give her that. She can do the same for him.

But…is putting it off really fair to either of them?

Yugi bites her lip, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arm fully around his waist. "Okay. Not today."

Yeah. She's not ready yet, either.

He presses his face into her hair and she swears, for just a moment, she feels him place a kiss against the top of her head. "Let's just enjoy this, Yugi. Just for now."

She nods, pressing herself as close as possible. This may be naive. It may be selfish and childish. They can't put it off forever. And this may just make everything hurt even more later.

But for now, neither of them care.

Not today.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_So many feels. But no one wants to talk about them yet. Not today, at least. It really is an impossible situation they have. But don't worry. If you've ever read any of my other works, you know I'm a fan of happy endings._

_The next chapter is another filler set in between events of the series. We get a bit more of Yugi's past (which the show almost never talks about) and we get more cuddles._

_Seriously, I don't think I wrote a single one-shot without at least a little cuddling._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	7. Facing Dragons

_**Author's Note**_

_Yay, another chapter! And it's a bit longer than the last one. Hopefully I can get another one out in a few days._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

**_Facing Dragons_**

Thunder rumbles between dark clouds, growling and threatening. Yugi swears the sun was shining not thirty minutes ago. Now, it's so dark out it almost looks like evening, despite being only late morning. Lightning cracks the sky in its spiderweb of light, the crashing thunder shooting Yugi's heart up her throat. Rain starts to pour, fat droplets pattering against the roof and windows like a roaring river.

"Well, good thing we weren't planning on going anywhere," Yugi mutters nervously, absently wiping at the shop counter with a rag as she stares out the storefront window. "Grandpa's going to have a hard time getting home, though."

_"Where did he go?"_ Yami asks, inspecting the Duel Monsters cards Yugi laid out on the counter next to her to look at, new monsters grandpa acquired. Grandpa always lets her have first dibs, Yugi and Yami picking through them together to build and improve their deck.

"Just to the store down the block for some groceries." Yugi abandons the pointless cleaning she can't even concentrate on, approaching the window with slow steps for a closer look. She can hardly see a couple of feet in front of the store, just a white sheet of water that almost looks horizontal in the ferocious wind. "I hope he doesn't try to walk home in this."

Yami joins her at the window, crossing his arms in front of his chest. _"He'd be stubborn enough to. Did he take an umbrella?"_

"I don't think so. But look at that wind. It wouldn't do him any good anyway."

_"True."_

Yugi jumps as the sky lights up with more lightning, thunder rattling the windowpane. The lights flicker ominously. Yugi's eyes widen up, staring up at the ceiling in alarm.

"Now, don't you—!"

The shop goes dark, power going out completely.

"…dare."

They exchange helpless glances in the dim light. Well, this is just great.

_"Now what?"_

Yugi sighs deeply with a shrug. "Who knows how long the power will be out for? I say we just close up shop and go upstairs. It's not like anyone's going to be out in this, and we wouldn't be able to sell them anything anyway with the computer down." She bites her lip, glancing at the door and wishing her grandfather had a cell phone. "I am worried about grandpa, though."

_"He'll be fine, Yugi,"_ Yami says, placing a hand on her shoulder. _"He'll know to stay put until this blows over. Going after him won't help matters."_

Yugi ducks her head, glancing up at him through her bangs. "I forget that we share a bond sometimes."

Yami smirks. _"I didn't need the bond for that, partner. I simply know you. I know you're worried, but you'll only end up hurt if you go out in this. It's better for both of you to just stay put for now."_

"I guess so," she reluctantly agrees, willing to trust Yami's judgment. This storm does look really nasty. Grandpa would have found shelter and will come back home when it's safe.

She really doesn't want to go out in this either. Not with all this lightning.

Yugi goes about closing up the shop, turning the sign to closed, locking the door, and flipping off all the switches even though the lights are already off. Don't need them coming back on in the middle of the night if the power doesn't come back on for a while. She and Yami then head upstairs to her room, navigating the dark hallways on the little light that comes in through the windows.

Plopping down on her bed, Yugi casts her eyes about the room, trying to come up with something to do. Except everything she thinks up requires electricity.

_"We could always play a game of Duel Monsters?"_ Yami suggests. She squints at him, not really sure if he's kidding or not.

"You can't hold the cards," she deadpans anyway. "So anything that requires touch for you is going to be out."

_"I'm sure we could find some sort of workaround." _

Lightning cracks again, sudden and jarring, making Yugi tense. Gods, she hates storms. She's never dealt with them well. Her mother used to help her through them, but, well…she can't anymore.

The memory makes her smile, though.

Yami joins her on the bed, tilting his head curiously. _"What are you thinking about?"_

"My mom," she replies wistfully, leaning back on her hands on the bed. "She and I used to make sheet forts during thunderstorms. We'd crawl inside with flashlights and tell funny stories to each other."

_"That sounds like fun,"_ Yami chuckles before his brow furrows a little. _"But what is a sheet fort?"_

Yugi blinks at him in surprise, suddenly knowing what they're going to do.

"Wait right here!" Yugi propels herself up, rushing around on socked feet to gather what she needs. She drags all of the chairs from the kitchen table into her room, along with all the sheets in the linen closet. Muscle memory leads her through the rest, hearing her mother's humming melody as she works to drape the sheets just right.

She can almost feel her mother's hands brushing against her own as she works, creating a tent just big enough for two people. Yugi was—surprisingly—a lot smaller the last time she did this, so it'll be tight for two teenagers. Even with one of them capable of moving through walls. Luckily, neither of them really cares about personal space when it comes to each other. Not anymore.

_"What song are you humming?"_ Yami asks, coming over to inspect her work.

Yugi pauses, comforter from her bed bunched in her hands as heat creeps down her neck. "Was…was I doing that out loud?"

Yami chuckles, under his breath but she still hears it. _"You were."_

Yugi ducks her head, tossing the blanket in the fort along with some pillows from the living room. "Sorry about that."

_"Don't be." _He follows her when she crawls inside the fort, ducking to peek in the opening. _"It's beautiful."_

Yugi shrugs, busying herself with plumping the pillows and situating them just right. "It's just something my mom used to sing. To take my mind off the storm."

Thunder cracks once again, even louder than before, like a car crash happening right outside the fort. It surprises a squeak out of her, making her fall out of her crouch to land on her butt on the blanket. She takes a couple deep breaths, willing her heart to slow down.

It's fine. She's safe inside.

_"Yugi,"_ Yami says, voice edged with concern as he crawls inside to sit at her side. He places a hand on her back between her shoulder blades, leaning over her with a furrowed brow. _"Are you afraid of lightning?"_

She tenses at the next rumble, subconsciously leaning back into his hand. "I-It's nothing. I'm fine. It's just a little loud is all."

Shatteringly loud again, her eyes squeezing shut against it.

_"Yugi, it's alright,"_ Yami tells her softly, rubbing his hand up and down her back. She can feel the pressure of it, not quite like how her mother used to do this since there's no body heat, but comforting all the same. _"There's nothing to be afraid of."_

"I know that," she swallows thickly, opening her eyes but keeping her head lowered to avoid looking at him, "in my head. But it…I can't help it. I'm still scared. I know it's silly but—"

_"It's not silly."_ Yami shifts to lay back against the pillows, tugging on her hand until she lays down facing him. It's a tight fit, they're legs curling to stay inside the fort and their chests practically touching. _"We all have something we're afraid of, despite all logic."_

"What are you afraid of?" she asks softly, her hand automatically finding his in the scarce inches between them.

_"Spiders," _he admits with a shudder, revulsion spilling down their connection. _"I can handle many things, but not spiders."_

"But they can't touch you now." The knowledge of being afraid of spiders can't be a memory from his past. Nothing as solid as that has come back yet. So he must have discovered the fear after Yugi finished the puzzle. But Yugi is the only person or thing that can actually touch him. Everything else just goes right through him. So why would he fear something that can't get him?

_"Doesn't matter. I stay well away from them whenever possible." _ Pink suddenly dusts his cheeks, eyes darting down to their hands as he fiddles with her fingers.

Her eyes narrow suspiciously. Yami _never_ blushes. "What is it?"

_"Well,"_ he begins slowly, still refusing to look at her, _"do you remember, shortly after you first completed the puzzle, when you woke one morning with a large bruise on your elbow and you couldn't remember the cause?"_

"That sounds vaguely familiar, I think," she mumbles, brow furrowing in thought. "That was before we officially met, right?'

He nods, the blush spreading down his neck to disappear beneath the collar of his tank top. _"You had fallen asleep at your desk the night before, studying for a test. I…took the liberty of…taking over in order to get you to bed and…."_ He mumbles the last few words, too quiet for her to hear.

"What was that?" she prods.

_"There was a spider, on your desk." _He glances at her briefly before quickly looking away. _"I…freaked out…a bit."_

"And bumped our elbow," Yugi finishes in understanding, nodding along.

_"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just—"_

"Yami, it's okay." She squeezes his hand, giving him a small smile. "It wasn't your fault. The bruise didn't even last that long."

Thunder rumbles again, not as loud this time but still just as surprising. Yugi jumps at the sound, jerking forward into Yami's chest.

Yami lets go of her hand, placing it on her waist to draw her closer. The pressure of it slides up her back to her head, encouraging her to press her face into his collarbone.

She breathes into his skin, trying to time herself to his deep, even breaths. She can't feel the wind of it but she can see his chest moving. Everything is fine, she tells herself. She's okay, she's safe. The storm can't actually get her. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just a silly storm.

Soft notes pierce through her thoughts, a familiar melody that pulls her out of the fear-fused haze. Yami hums the same tune she was humming earlier, something gentle and soothing like the hug of a loved one. He caught onto the song fast, humming it like he's done it for years, just as long as her mom. He doesn't hesitate for a moment, despite not knowing the song for longer than a few minutes. He just knows that it helps her.

Slowly, she feels herself calm, wishing she could feel the warmth of him, his smell, something. This whole "not actually real" thing has some serious pitfalls sometimes.

But his touch does still send pleasant tingles along her skin, which feels kind of nice.

_"This isn't your fault, either, Yugi," _Yami says sometime later, when her breathing has slowed and her heartrate returned to normal. _"We can't always control the things we fear. And that's okay."_

"But it's dumb to be afraid of a little thunder and lightning," she breathes, hearing the taunts of the bullies she's lived with all her life. Any time there was a storm during school, she would cower at her desk. The teasing was relentless, her classmates calling her a coward, a baby, weak.

It got better when she met her friends. They've kept the bullies off her back, and there hasn't been any really bad storms since meeting Yami.

She was kind of hoping she could get away without him noticing. Without him finding out how weak she truly is.

_"Is it dumb for me to be afraid of spiders?"_ When she doesn't reply, he runs his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. _"Then it's not dumb for you to be afraid of lightning."_

"Really?" she asks, skeptical. "As simple as that?"

_"Simple as that."_ More thunder, making Yugi tense. Yami just holds her closer. _"You know, being afraid doesn't make you weak."_

She huffs, wishing the fear would just _go away_. "Yeah? And what does it make me?"

_"Stronger than you know. Because lightning isn't something you can run away from. So you face it, moving along despite the fear."_

"Barely," she mutters. She wouldn't say curling into a little ball inside a sheet fort means she's being entirely successful.

_"Maybe it feels like that somedays. But you still try, and that means you're not letting the fear win. In my book, that makes you stronger than you give yourself credit for."_

Yugi doesn't really see it that way. Seriously, she's hiding inside a sheet fort. How is this not letting the fear win? It feels like it's kicking her butt right now.

But the rumbling continues outside and she's still okay. She's still here. And for now, that's just going to have to be enough.

Yami must sense the shift in her because he hums happily, easing back so he can look her in the face. _"So, what sorts of things did you and your mother used to do in this…fort?"_

Yugi smiles softly, settling more comfortably against the cushions. Maybe if Yami just talks enough, it'll drown out the sounds of the storm. "Just talk, about anything. Big things. Little things. Tell silly stories. You know, stuff like that."

_"Really? Well, then, I think we should continue the tradition."_ He contemplates for a moment, fiddling with the ends of her hair. She wonders why he does it when he can't really feel it, but then he continues, _"Once upon a time, there was a brave princess looking to slay a dragon."_

* * *

_**Author's **_**_Note_**

_Yugi always tried so hard to be fearless. I enjoyed giving Yugi a simple fear that others could find silly. Yami, too, for that matter._

_Next chapter is another follow-up chapter, inspired by a piece of fanart I found online. If I can find it again, I'll try to add a link to it. I'm going on vacation next week so I'll try to post again later this week before I leave._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	8. Yami's Light

_**Author's Note**_

_My vacation has officially begun, but I managed to get this little chapter ready. It's set at the end of season 4, right after they defeat Dartz and the Leviathan and walk through the portal to go home, but before Yugi wakes up on that beach. He just kind of passed out for a little bit with no explanation, and I thought that would be a good time for some much-needed fluff._

_Cause, seriously, those two needed more hugs after all of that._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Yami's Light**_

It feels like an eternity and a single second, being trapped in that ancient seal. Time means nothing. Only darkness exists, along with an ancient evil hiding in the shadows. Yugi senses it lurking right on her periphery, waiting to devour her with jaws drooling saliva and blood.

She fights back as hard as she can. And succeeds, if only briefly. First, when some unknown force propels her to the desert to duel Yami when he doubts himself. Then again, during another duel. She finds a crack of light in the darkness, reaches for it in order to give Yami the support he needs in order to defeat Dartz.

And then she's free.

Light pokes at her eyelids, making her face scrunch up in displeasure. She feels like she could sleep for a week, after everything that's happened. Days with her soul trapped away from her body, only to finally get back just in time for the battle to stop the end of the world.

But they won. Dartz and the Leviathan are gone forever. And the pillows beneath her head feel so comfortable...

But how did she go from Atlantis to...pillows?

Yugi's eyes slowly crack open, squinting against the bright sunlight streaming in through the window. Arms feeling like jelly, she struggles to sit up, brain working sluggishly to take in the familiar hieroglyphics painted on the walls.

The oasis inside Yami's soul room. She's lying out on the window seat, propped against a pile of pillows. When did she even get here? What happened?

Swinging her legs around, she teeters to her feet, keeping a hand on the wall for support. She feels groggy, muscles sore like they've been laying in one position for far too long in a deep sleep. Just how long did Dartz have her, exactly, for her soul to feel like this?

She stretches her arms above her head, trying to work out the stiffness and feeling stronger with every passing second. Well, whatever happened, she's back in her own body where she belongs. Maybe she passed out in exhaustion or something.

But then, why isn't she in her own soul room?

The door bangs against the wall as it flies open, making Yugi jump. She spins around, heart racing in her throat, only to instantly relax when she sees Yami standing in the doorway, wide eyes drinking her in.

Like it would be anyone else.

"Yami!" She smiles brightly, taking a few steps towards him.

But he moves faster.

Yami races across the room, arms banding around her waist like a vice with his face buried in her neck. Holding on like his life depends on it and body shaking.

Never has she felt such desperation and fear from Yami in all the time she's known him.

Yugi blinks, arms held up at her sides in surprise. "Yami?"

Wetness soaks into the collar of her jacket and she realizes he's not just shaking. He's sobbing.

Her arms snake around him, one hand going to the back of his head. She rocks them back and forth, whispering soothing words in his ear.

"It's okay, it's alright. You're okay. We're both okay."

"Y-You're here," he gasps out between his cries, breaths shaky and erratic. "You…you're really here."

She holds onto him more tightly. Just how long was she gone? What happened to him during that time? "Of course I'm here. I'll always come back to you. Always."

"But you weren't here. They took you away and it was all my fault."

"Oh, Yami." She places her hands on his shoulders, pushing away gently to see his face. Red rims his eyes, tears leaking down his cheeks helplessly. Gods, he looks so lost. More lost than she's ever seen him, even in the beginning. Cupping his face in her palms, she gives him the softest smile she can muster. "It wasn't your fault. It was the Orichalcos. It created a darkness inside you that you didn't have before. It wasn't you, Yami."

"How can you say that? I'm the one who did it. I—"

"No," she tells him firmly. "It wasn't you. And you know how I know that?" He shakes his head, just a little bit so he doesn't dislodge her hands. "Because of this room."

"My soul room?" His brow furrows, a line forming between his eyes adorably.

Yugi fights off a laugh. "Yes, your soul room. Have you actually looked at it?" She waves a hand around the room, at the sunlight streaming in through the window. At the beautiful oasis with its shimmering lake. At the murals decorating the walls in vibrant colors and designs. "It's so warm here, Yami. And I don't just mean the sun. Every time I'm here, I feel safe. I can feel your goodness and kindness and...and your light."

"This is the only room that looks like this," Yami mumbles, eyes downcast. "Everywhere else is only shadows. I only find this...light...in this room, and the door only ever seems to appear when you are here."

Yugi's throat closes up, not really sure how to respond to that. So much seems to be buried in that one statement, so much of the unspoken thing. But there's one thing he needs to understand.

She returns her hand to his face and he leans into her palm. "Yami, this light is inside of _you_. It's a part of you. It's how you ultimately defeated Dartz. Doesn't matter how you got it. It'll always be a part of you now and that's what matters. Alright?"

He just stares at her for a moment, eyes darting all over like he's trying to memorize her face even though he's seen it hundreds of times. The warmth bubbles up inside of him, big and bright and overwhelming, chasing the last of his tears away. Then, he nods, drawing her close in order to hold her again with his head buried in her neck.

"I missed you," he breathes into her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

She wraps her arms around his shoulders, one hand delving into his hair. "I missed you, too. But I knew you'd save me."

He holds on just a little bit tighter.

Standing around gets old real fast, so they do what they always do, lay out on the window seat. But this time, Yugi lays down on her back first, pulling in Yami after her. He hesitates for a moment until she tugs at his hand, drawing him down to lay partially on top of her with his head tucked against her collarbone and her arms wrapped tightly around him.

His weight feels solid against her, reassuring, reminding Yugi that this is real and she is free. She breathes in the dry desert breeze, relaxing into the cushions. "How long do you think we'll be here?"

"Don't know," he replies, sounding like he doesn't really care either way. "We're safe, but you passed out after entering the portal. Your body wouldn't even let me take control. I don't think it's anything alarming. You'll wake up when your body's ready."

"Okay," she says simply, content to just enjoy this while it lasts. They don't know so much. They don't know what evil it is that Yami is supposed to stop. They don't know anything about Yami's past. They don't even know what caused him to lose his memories in the first place.

But they'll figure it all out. And in the meantime, Yugi is just going to enjoy this, for however long she has. And continue giving Yami as much light as he needs.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Just a nice little bit of fluff. Cause if Yami was such a basket case when Yugi got taken, then I can easily imagine him breaking down again when he and Yugi finally got a moment alone again._

_Next chapter will finish the self-made arc I created, explaining what happened to Yugi's parents. So, a lot of angst. With a lot of fluff. I'll try to get it up later this week but, again, I'm on vacation. So don't be surprised if you don't hear from me again until next week._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	9. Finding Words

_**Author's Note**_

_My vacation has officially come to a close. :( _

_Originally, I was going to go straight back to my weekly weekend postings, but then a hurricane decided to actually get bad enough to pay attention to. So, just in case I lose power and access to the internet, I am posting early. Hopefully, the hurricane dies down before it reaches us, but they can be really unpredictable little buggers._

_Fragging storm ruining my weekend._

_Anyway, this chapter answers some of those questions I always wondered about from the anime, which I'll discuss further in the endnotes. Also, little trigger warning, there's a small reference to molestation here. Don't go into detail hardly at all, but I just wanted to let you know._

_I have a really dark mind, apparently._

_Now, on that note, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Finding Words**_

Yugi always ends up at this door. Doesn't matter how hard she struggles against it. How hard she tries to force her feet away. She always eventually finds herself standing at this door, dread seeping from her pores as her hand pushes it inward.

The shadows draw her to the bed, beckoning, a siren's call leading her to her doom. She fights against it. She screams internally to herself to stop, to turn away, to run as far from this place as possible. But no sound escapes her lips, and her feet keep steadily shuffling forward towards the bed. To the moment her world ended.

Her parents, covered in blood, lifeless against the red-soaked sheets. They stare at the ceiling glassy-eyed. The copper-tinged sent of death fills the air along with her cries.

She begs them to get up, but they never do.

Sinister laughter echoes in her ears, just as it always does, over and over again. Echoing in the dark cavern of her mind.

Her feet turn. Why do they always disobey her commands? They force her to face the laughter, coming from the shadows that seem to congeal around a pair of glowing red eyes.

A clawed hand shoots out from the shadows to wrap around her neck, crushing her throat until her breath wheezes. Talons pierce into her skin, warm liquid slipping down to her shoulders, soaking into her pajama shirt.

"Hello, little bird," the darkness growls, white teeth shimmering in the darkness in a feral grin. "Now that we're alone, we can have some fun."

He shoves her to the floor, his body pressing hers into the carpet. The foul stench of his breath wafts over her face, choking her more than the grip on her neck. Lips brush against her cheek. She strains her head away but doesn't get far.

No. Not this. Please, not this again.

He licks her skin, long and slow, and she trembles. "You're mine now."

"I don't think so."

Yami.

Yugi can only make out his dark silhouette in the doorway backdropped by the light of the soul rooms hall, but she'd recognize that spiky hair and deep, commanding voice anywhere.

Plus, there's the glowing eye in the center of his forehead.

The room fills with an ethereal wind, brimming with electricity and the taste of magic. Yami raises his hand, palm out and fingers splayed as the eye glows brighter. "Be gone!"

The wind picks up, swirling and roaring in her ears. She closes her eyes against it, against the growing brightness bursting out of his hand, and against the tightening of the claws around her throat.

And then it all vanishes—the light, the wind, the hulking form on top of her. Air rushes back into her lungs and she gasps, sucking in heaving gulps as her lungs try to remember how to function.

It's gone. It's gone.

Arms wrap around her, arms she knows, arms she trusts. She curls into Yami's embrace as he picks her up, cradling her to his chest and carrying her away from the shadows.

Her gasps turn to sobs, arms snaking around his neck and just holding on.

They eventually stop. Yami sits, Yugi cradled in his lap. They're oasis, if she had to guess, but she doesn't really care. So long as it's not her soul room. So long as she doesn't have to see those shadows again.

But she will. She always does, at some point or another. They're always waiting for her.

Wetness continues to drip down her neck. She reaches up with a shaky hand, her fingers coming away clean. But they didn't, once. Once, they were red. She touches her neck again, feeling the buckled choker she always wears, even when she sleeps, wide enough to cover practically her entire neck.

Wide enough to hide the truth.

"Yugi," Yami whispers softly, like he's afraid of spooking her, "I know I said I wouldn't push, but…."

Yugi nods against his chest. The nightmares are getting worse. Keeping this from Yami—keeping it bottled up inside—it's not going to work. There's going to come a point, sometime soon, when he sees enough to make his own conclusions.

Faced with that, she'd much rather tell him herself. But where to begin?

She stares out the window at the clear desert sky, trying to find the words she's never been able to find before. She's never wanted to find them. How is she supposed to describe the worst moment of her life?

Yami just sits quietly, holding her as tight as he dares and just waiting for when she's ready. No impatience. No pressure. He just calmly waits, fingers stroking through her hair. Soothing. Safe.

"I wish that night ended like this," Yugi says, the thought just kind of popping out. "You being there would have made everything…well, not better, exactly. But maybe easier."

Yami stiffens, fingers freezing in her hair. "So that wasn't just a nightmare."

"Yeah, it was a memory." She takes in a shaky breath, clutching at the front of his shirt to ground herself. "Except the monster wasn't a monster. He was a man. Just a man. He broke into our house late one night about three years ago and he…."

"He did monstrous things." Yami pulls her impossibly closer. She can practically feel him putting the pieces together over the bond. "He killed your parents?"

The backs of her eyes sting again, throat choking for a different reason. "Y-Yeah."

"And what he did to you?"

She nods, blinking moisture away as she sits up fully in his lap. His arms drop to wrap loosely at her waist, concerned eyes watching her. Still, he doesn't push. That alone gives her the courage she needs. She reaches for her necklace, fingers shaking so badly they fumble with the buckle. The choker falls away, revealing the skin of her neck for the first time in a long time.

Revealing the scars, white crescent moons where nails once bit into her. Along with a long, warbling trail from a knife.

"He…he held me down while he…touched me." She bites her lip, hard, courage falling short and unable to go further than that. Unable to put that horror, that darkness, into words.

But she can tell over the bond that she doesn't need to.

"I-I fought back. I got in a lucky kick, got free, and started screaming." Screwing her eyes shut, she wraps her arms around herself, Yami's arms joining hers. Together, they try to hold in her shaking. She wishes they could hold in the words, too, but she can't stop now. Not until it's done. "I locked myself in my bedroom and barricaded the door. Still screaming. A neighbor heard me. Called the police. He was still trying to break into my room when they came."

"So they caught him," Yami says, voice deeper and darker than usual. It reminds her of when he almost let Kaiba fall at Duelist Kingdom. Willing to make the difficult play no matter the cost.

She's both touched and terrified that he would go to those lengths for her.

"He's on death row," she confirms, burying her face in his neck. "Awaiting his execution. He…my family wasn't the only one. There were others. So once they caught him, it all went rather quickly after that. I moved towns afterwards, to live with my grandpa, and the rest is, well, history."

Gods, she suddenly feels exhausted. Talking has never been so draining in her entire life. She knew it would be bad, though, talking about this. Getting the words and the thoughts and the memories out.

But a part of her—small but there—may just feel a little bit better by it, too.

Yami presses a kiss to her forehead, one hand coming up to thumb away her tears. "Thank you," he says, staying so close his lips brush against her head, "for telling me."

"Thank you for pulling me out," she replies tiredly, unconsciously nuzzling against his hand. "The nightmares usually aren't this bad but…the anniversary is tomorrow."

Yami's thumb brushes over her cheek, back and forth. Rhythmic. Soothing. Making Yugi's eyelids droop. "I'm sorry."

She gives a hum of protest. "Nothing for you to be sorry for."

"No, it's just," he sighs deeply, shifting her to lay more fully against him with their legs tangled together, "I'm sorry that happened to you. I wish I could have been there for you, as you said. And I wish there was more that I could do for you now."

"This helps," she mumbles softly, snuggling into his embrace. "This is more than enough."

"Then I'll watch over your sleep every night," he vows, tightening his hold on her like he can keep the shadows at bay by his strength alone. "As you know, I do not need rest. So I should be able to do something to help with the nightmares."

"That would be nice, too," she says, the words tumbling out on a yawn and practically running unintelligibly together. Already, Yami seems to be doing a bang-up job. She always feels safe with him near. Maybe her subconscious will get with the program, too.

And so she drifts off to sleep like that, wrapped up in Yami's arms, the light of him surrounding her with not a shadow in sight.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_So, the first of the two questions I had with the anime: What happened to Yugi's parents?_

_They're never mentioned, not once. Yugi just lives with his grandpa. Lots of explanations to consider. Illness? Car crash? Mother died in childbirth and the father didn't want to be a parent and so left Yugi with his grandpa? I think I've been watching too much Criminal Minds lately because I went with an even darker explanation-murder. And a serial killer to boot._

_Yeah, there's something wrong with me._

_As for the second question I had: Why in the world is Yugi always wearing that choker necklace?_

_Seriously, he never takes the darn thing off. Even when he goes to sleep, because he's wearing it every time we see him in pjs and in every dream sequence. He never takes it off. Who does that? Why? There has to be a reason because that can't be comfortable to sleep in. Maybe the creators just didn't know how to draw Yugi any other way, but, again, my mind took a darker path and tied it in to the serial killer._

_I am such a cruel, cruel author. My poor characters._

_Next chapter will be a lot lighter. And fluff. Happy, happy fluff. When that will be all depends on Hurricane Dorian._

_Stay safe, my fellow Floridians!_

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	10. The Perfect Day

_**Author's Note**_

_This freaking slow storm. I swear. This is the most annoying hurricane ever._

_Dorian is just over the horizon from where I live. We've been getting a bit of the feeder bands today, but it's about to pick up in just a few hours. The odds of us losing power have gone down a lot, but there's still a pretty good chance even though we're only going to get what amounts to a really bad thunderstorm. So, one more chapter before I lose my connection to civilization._

_A chapter of pure fluff._

_Before we lose Yami._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**The Perfect Day**_

It starts with breakfast. And a _look_.

The look comes from Yugi's grandpa. A look she can't really decipher. It's all laughing eyes and twisted lips to hold back a smirk. He tries to hide it, keeping his back to her as he flips pancakes, but he can't help from glance over his shoulder at her every few minutes. If she didn't know any better, she'd say it spells trouble.

But how much trouble could he get into, really?

Not much, if it stopped there. But it doesn't. Joey, Tristan, and Tèa get the same look. And whispers that stop as soon as she goes near. She asks them what's going on. They tell her nothing, nothing's wrong, nothing to worry about.

A small kernel of her feels...left out, in a way. Hurt. Something she hasn't felt since getting her friends. She knows it's silly. She knows it's stupid. They wouldn't just keep something important from her without a reason. Though, that's if they're really hiding something. It could all just be in her head.

_"Would you like me to find out?"_ Yami suggests, floating next to her desk as she plays a game of Capsule Monsters with Tèa.

Yugi glances at him out of the corner of her eye before moving one of her pieces. _"What do you mean?"_ she asks silently over their bond.

_"They can't see me like this."_ He shrugs, jerking his head over to Joey's desk. Tristan has an extra chair pulled over, their heads huddled together and hands waving wildly in a whispered argument. _"I can do a little eavesdropping. See what it is they're up to and tell you if it's anything to be concerned about."_

Yugi chews on the inside of her cheek, moving one of her monsters into position to take Tèa down in three more turns. _"I don't know. I don't want to spy on them or anything. It feels wrong."_

_"You won't be spying on them."_ Yami smirks mischievously, crossing his arms in front of his chest. _"I will. If it's harmless, I just won't tell you. No harm done."_

Yugi taps a finger against the top of the desk as she waits for Tèa to make her move, glancing over at the boys again. She catches them staring at her and they quickly turn their heads away, shoulders hunched around their ears.

_"Okay, do it. They are seriously up to something."_

Yami nods, walking through the desks to stand next to Joey and Tristan. He listens intently for a few moments. Yugi tries not to stare but it's hard to tear her eyes away. She forces her attention back to the game, drawing it out for a few more turns.

Yami's eyes widen, ever so slightly. She wouldn't have noticed if she didn't know him so well, but then he's staring at her, too.

_"What?" _she asks, trying not to sound panicked. _"What is it?"_

_"It's...nothing," _Yami says, voice steadier than normal. Intentionally giving nothing away. Not even over their connection. _"Absolutely nothing."_

Yugi's eyes narrow. She quickly attacks with her monster to end the game before Tèa can realize she's doomed.

Great, now Yami's doing it.

_"Yugi," _Yami says softly, suddenly right next to her. She looks up at him, ignoring Tèa's groans of disappointment at the loss. _"Do you trust our friends?"_

She blinks in surprise. _"Yeah."_

_"And you trust that they would never intentionally hurt you?"_

She nods, helping Tèa pick up the game pieces. _"They're my best friends. I know they'd never do anything bad."_

_"And…do you trust me?"_

Her head snaps up to him, chest squeezing. _"Of course!"_

The lines around his eyes smooth out as something in Yami unclenches. He really didn't know what her answer would be. She tries to push her trust to him over the bond, but, gods, she wishes she wasn't in the middle of class right now.

_"Then let me take over for a little while after school," _he asks, kneeling down next to her like a knight swearing fealty. _"There's something I need to do with the others and…I'd like it if you'd stay in the puzzle until we're through."_

"Yugi, are you okay?" Tèa asks, half risen in her seat. "The bell rang. Time to go."

"Oh, uh," Yugi glances at Yami, still kneeling next to her and waiting patiently, "I'll be there in a minute."

Tèa follows her line of sight, seeing nothing but still understanding. Glancing around to make sure no one's watching them, she drops her voice to a whisper, "Is it Yami?"

"Yeah," Yugi says, just as quietly, "we just need to talk about something for a second. But you go ahead. I'll catch up."

Tèa hesitates, brow furrowed in worry. "Is something wrong?"

Yugi smiles. "No, nothing like that. I'll tell you later."

"Alright, if you're sure."

Tèa grabs up her bag, following the rest of the students out of the room. Yugi moves to do the same but slower, taking her time putting each of her school supplies back in her bag. _"You don't want me seeing what you're up to?"_ she asks Yami without looking at him.

_"That is correct," _he replies, standing with her as she heads for the door.

_"And it's nothing bad?"_

_"Not at all. You'll find out later today, actually, but only then."_

_"Then alright," _she agrees happily, shooting him a quick smile as they navigate the hallways.

Yami stalls in his step for a moment, students passing right through him. _"Really? That's it?"_

She chuckles under her breath. _"What, you thought I'd say no?"_

_"Honestly? Yes. This is your body, not mine."_

_"And you're one of my best friends." _She closes her eyes for a moment, trying to push her sincerity down the bond. His bafflement bounces right back, and she tries to soothe his uncertainty. _"I trust you with my life, so trusting you with my body for a few hours is easy. Really, I've already done it, loads of times."_

_"But that was always with you right there. This time, you won't know what's going on."_

_"I still trust you all the same." _They step out the front doors of the school, Joey, Tristan, and Tèa waiting by the front gate. _"So go ahead, Yami. Do what you've gotta do."_

He hesitates, despite this being his idea. _"Are you sure?"_

Yugi sighs deeply, rolling her eyes. Then, with a firm mental shove, she puts Yami in the driver's seat while she retreats into the soul rooms, looking for one spot in particular.

It'll actually be nice to just relax on a pile of pillows for a while. She'll worry about whatever trouble her friends are up to later.

She trusts them.

* * *

Sometime later, someone shakes her shoulder, rousing Yugi from a light doze. She rubs at her eyes with a knuckle, blinking up at Yami. He smiles down at her, perched on the edge of the window seat next to her.

"Hey," she says around a yawn, stretching out her muscles and enjoying the heavy lethargy that runs through her. "What time is it?"

"About dinner time." He reaches for her hand, threading their fingers together like it's the most natural thing in the world. "You ready to come back out?"

"Mmhm." She sits up, not really quite ready to let go yet. "You have fun with everyone?"

He smirks, giving her that same look her grandpa gave her that morning. "See for yourself."

She narrows her eyes at him suspiciously. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to let Yami get in on whatever's going on. But at least now she gets to find out what it is. Curiosity peaked, she lets go of his hand, easing her mind back to full consciousness in her body.

Her eyes open to a dark room, heart lodging in her throat. Then she starts to recognize the blobs of shadows around her. The couch and the TV. The coffee table and lamp. She's home, standing in the middle of the living room.

But why did Yami leave her here in the dark?

"Um," she cringes, already regretting this, "hello? Anyone there?"

A beat of silence. Yugi's shoulders start to ease.

Then a cacophony of voices shouting, "Surprise!"

The lights come on blindingly bright and people stand from out behind the furniture, still shouting and cheering. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust. To see all her friends and her grandpa, standing around the room with smiling faces surrounded by streamers and balloons and a "Happy Birthday" banner hanging from the ceiling.

Yugi practically goes boneless, just staring at it all.

When she still doesn't do anything, her grandpa steps forward, brow creased with worry. "Yugi?"

"This is all for me?" she asks in a small voice, blinking like the banner and her friends are about to disappear at any second.

Her grandpa chuckles under his breath. "Of course, it is, my girl. Today's _your_ birthday, after all."

"But," she looks at her friends, still trying to comprehend, "how did you guys even know?"

Tèa clasps her hands behind her back, rocking back on her heels. "I remembered from last year. You know, when your grandpa took us all on that trip to the beach?"

Yugi looks down at her feet, heat spreading across her cheeks. Well, yeah, they did celebrate it last year. But that was all her grandpa's doing. He put the whole thing together, and they didn't make a big deal out of it. Yugi asked them not to. So she didn't think anyone would remember.

"We expected you to mention it weeks ago," Tristan says, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "but you never did. So we thought we'd do a little surprise."

"But, Yug, seriously," Joey wraps his arm around Yugi's shoulders, ruffling her hair roughly. "What gives? Why'd you never say anything?"

Yugi shrugs, body bent awkwardly because of Joey's hold but she doesn't try to escape. "I don't know," she mumbles into his forearm. "I guess it just didn't seem that important."

"Not important?" Tristan exclaims, shaking his head. "Dude, you're our friend. Of course, your birthday's important. What would you do if it was my birthday?"

Well, that's a no-brainer. "I'd want to celebrate."

"And that's what your friends want to do with you," her grandpa says, shuffling forward. Joey lets her go so her grandpa can place his hands on her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye with an understanding smile. "I know things have been difficult for you these past few years. Moving towns to live with an old man like me certainly didn't help matters." Yugi opens her mouth to protest but her grandpa shakes his head, squeezing her shoulders and silently telling her to let him finish. "But you've found a good bunch of friends here. They care about you and support you more than any person could ever hope for. Embrace it, my girl."

Yugi's eyes water as she looks at her friends. She really did get lucky with them. Or was it the magic of the puzzle, granting her wish? Either way, she couldn't have asked for better friends, and she'll thank the stars every day for all three of them.

Well, all _four_ of them.

_"So how much of this was your doing?" _Yugi asks as she lets her friends drag her over to the kitchen, a huge chocolate cake laid out on the counter. Joey starts poking candles into the top of it, far more than the number of years she's lived. He keeps going until Tristan bonks him on the head. Laughter makes Yugi's chest feel light.

_"They already had most of this planned,"_ Yami admits, sitting on the counter next to them._ "I mostly just helped them decorate. Though the banner was my idea."_

_"Well, thank you," _she says, reaching for his hand on the counter as grandpa presents her with the cake. They burst into the "Happy Birthday" song, Tèa recording the whole thing on her phone.

As they reach the end of the song, Yami's voice mixing with all the other people she loves, Yugi closes her eyes and makes a wish. An impossible wish, filled with unsaid things, but she says them in her head, in a portion of her soul where Yami won't hear. But maybe someone will.

With a deep breath, she blows out the flames.

* * *

"Today was really great," Yugi says, plopping down on her bed in her pajamas with a happy sigh.

Her smile hasn't left her face for hours. They ate cake and played games and each of her friends gave her a present. She hasn't gotten presents from anyone other than family in, well…ever.

Having friends still feels a little strange for her after so long going without.

_"It's not quite over yet, partner," _Yami says mysteriously, pushing off of the wall he had been leaning against. He heads for her dresser, pointing to her sock drawer. _"Take a look."_

Oh, now that's not suspicious at all. "And what are you up to?"

_"Come over here and see."_

Looks like the mischief isn't over yet. But she obliges, opening the drawer and only seeing socks. She gives him an unimpressed look, but he simply tilts his head, beckoning her to keep looking. Rolling her eyes, she digs around in her socks.

Her hand hits something solid, paper crinkling.

Huh?

She pulls out a package, about the size of her palm, wrapped in blue wrapping paper and topped with a shimmery, golden bow. Her head snaps up in shock, staring at Yami with rounded eyes as she chokes out, "You...got me a present?"

He tugs at his earlobe with a little nod, not looking her in the eye and shocking Yugi even more. He's nervous, she realizes with a start. _Yami_ is _nervous_.

_"It's technically not from me,"_ Yami says, words coming so fast Yugi almost can't understand them._ "I have no money, of course, but Joey, Tristan, and Tèa went to the store with me and they each helped me pay for it. So, I guess, technically, it's from them, not me, but..."_

"Who actually picked it out?" Yugi chuckles, fingers already starting to pull the paper away.

_"I did,"_ he mumbles, watching her open the present out of the corner of his eye. _"It's not much. I didn't want to be an imposition on the others. So I'm sorry it's nothing fancy..."_

Yugi really stops listening after that, staring down at the present cradled in the palm of her hand.

It's really not much. Just a little charm, to be clasped to a necklace, but it's just so _them_. She's not even sure how he found a charm shaped like the eye of the Millennium Items, but already, she's in love with it.

_"I thought you could hang it here."_ He steps closer, raising a hand to hover over the choker necklace she still wears. That she always wears. _"I know this necklace...and what it hides...it holds dark memories that burden you every day. I just wanted to maybe make that burden a little lighter."_

Yugi fingers her necklace, chest squeezing so tight she can hardly breathe. This choker hides her scars, the scars she got on the worst day of her life. She may not see them, but they're always there, just underneath. Hiding them doesn't make them disappear. Seeing the necklace is almost as bad as actually seeing _them_, now, because she wouldn't be wearing it if not for that.

But to add this charm, to make the necklace about more than just hiding a day she'd rather forget, but also a symbol of one of her deepest friendships, one of the people who matter most to her. She can't think of a more perfect present.

_"Yugi, what's wrong?"_ Yami asks, panicked as he raises a hand. She feels the pressure of it touch her cheek but he's still helpless to wipe away the trails of tears slipping down her face. Guilt darkens his ocher eyes. _"I'm sorry. I never should have...I shouldn't have assumed that I could...just give it to grandpa and he can get rid of it or I can do it if you let me take over and—"_

"No!" she says quickly, sniffling as she clips the charm to the buckle of her necklace. It dangles against her skin, right at the hollow of her throat.

It feels right, making her smile softly.

She then takes his hand. He follows her mutely to the bed, watching as she turns off the lights and climbs under the covers. "Soul room," she orders softly. "Now."

Without giving him a chance to respond, Yugi closes her eyes and focuses on the pressure of his hand in hers. Gradually, the pressure turns to actual feeling until the warmth of his skin fills her palm.

Opening her eyes again, she finds herself laying out on the window seat in the oasis room, Yami standing next to her and looking down at her in worry. She uses his hand as leverage to pull herself to her feet.

"Yugi?" he murmurs, uncertainty prickling along the bond.

She steps forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. His arms automatically come up around her, holding her close but hesitant.

Tears soak into his shirt as she holds on tighter, unable to speak above a whisper, "Sorry. But I love my present. I really, really do. And then I wanted to hug you but I wanted to actually feel it, you know?"

He hums in agreement, deep in his chest and vibrating where her cheek presses against him. "Yes, I do know. I'm glad you like it."

"I _love_ it," she stresses again, unable to truly express how much. But he can feel it, over their bond.

He pulls her closer, whispering against her hair, "Now a piece of me will always be with you. No matter what happens."

She stiffens.

No.

She doesn't want to think about that now. Even though it's true. And she'll be grateful when the time comes. But for now….

"Today's my birthday, Yami," she says, gently but firmly. "Let's not think about that now. Not today."

"Okay." He presses a kiss to the top of her head, her temple, her forehead, her cheek, before resting his head against hers, their arms tightly banded around each other. "Not today."

Because today is perfect. Today is the best birthday she's had in a long, long time. And only Yami could have done that.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Ahh, the fluff._

_I know Yugi never gets a charm like this in the anime, but the idea just popped in my head and I really liked it. So a slight deviation. I'm also not really sure when Yugi's birthday falls within the timeline of the anime. Or even where this chapter falls in the timeline (except the nod to Capsule Monsters). So, ignore any continuity errors._

_Next chapter is when I got fed up with the whole no touching thing and jumped ahead. Though, it's not like I've been keeping any kind of set pace, timeline wise. But that's the beauty of one-shots. I might go back and write some more chapters with Yami, but for now, say goodbye to Yami._

_We'll be getting Atem real soon._

_So long as the power comes back on._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	11. I Don't Need a Man to Hold My Hand

_**Author's Note**_

_Well, I hope you guys are having a better week than I am. First the hurricane, then car troubles, then I think everything is fine, and then more car troubles again. Hoping posting will make me feel better._

_This chapter is a sort of connector chapter between our time with Yami and our time with Atem. Twenty points to the Hogwarts house of your choice if you can guess correctly who the woman is._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

**_I Don't Need a Man to Hold My _****_Hand_**

It was the right decision.

Yugi knows that, tells herself that over and over again, fingering the charm on her necklace.

Letting Yami—Atem—go was the right thing to do. It was the only way to get rid of the Millennium Items, so they can't hurt anyone else ever again. Only by Atem leaving could they leave, too.

It was also…it was his time to go. To have the afterlife he should have had a long time ago, instead of becoming trapped in the puzzle for thousands of years. And it was her time to prove that she _can_ live without him. That she doesn't need help, that she doesn't need coddling. That she can stand up for herself now.

She knows all of that. But knowing hasn't made the loss any easier. He was her best friend. Her…well, he could have been something more. Maybe he _had_ been. But he's gone now. Moved on.

Dead for real.

It was the right thing to do. It was even what he _wanted_.

Right?

Doesn't make losing him any less sad, though.

The others worry for her. They're afraid she's stuck. That she's having a hard time moving on. And maybe they're right. Not a day goes by that she doesn't think about him. But isn't that normal, after losing a loved one? She doesn't want to just forget about him. He changed her life, in so many ways.

She'll never forget him, and she's grateful for everything he did for her. For everything he gave her.

And so Yugi vows to live for him. To live her life to the fullest, unafraid.

She studies hard. Her grades—not stellar before—go up a lot. She spends time with her friends every day. She helps her grandpa at the game shop. She enjoys Duel Monsters for the first time in a long time, playing it for fun instead of for life and death.

She participates in tournaments, battling for herself and earning that title of Queen of Games for real.

Graduation looms as her senior year of high school begins, difficult decisions suddenly laying at her feet. College is something she wants. She wants to become a game designer. Furthering her education seems to be the best way to do it. But money becomes a problem. A problem Kaiba helps with.

Almost as soon as senior year begins, she starts working with Kaiba and doing things in the dueling world. Promotional ads. Posters. Guest appearances at cons and other big events all over the country. Stepping up as the final opponent for tournaments as the Queen of Games. All paid for by Kaiba Corporation. She gets money for college, they get to improve their image as having a strong friendship with the current world champion.

Life moves on. She finds something resembling contentment.

Until she has a dream.

* * *

A bright light shines all around her, obscuring everything in a backdrop of white. Yugi can see nothing else. Just white. But the feel of the place—if it is a place—reminds her of the soul rooms. A place she hasn't been to since Egypt. But there's that same sense of other and magic that prickles along her skin, gentle as a breeze. The memory of it makes her smile, putting her at ease. Still, she's curious.

This _isn't_ actually the soul rooms. At least, no place of them she's ever seen. So where is she?

A blotch of darkness spreads across the white, small at first. It grows the longer she watches, becoming long and lean with arms and legs and a head. A woman.

A woman with wings. Beautiful, multi-colored wings, shimmering with rainbows in the feathers.

The woman continues to walk forward, the skirt of her white dress swishing around her sandaled feet in a stark contrast to her bronze skin. Her wings ruffle at her back, beating a few times and kicking up a small wind that makes her long black hair dance.

Something vibrates in the air around the woman, a reflection of her sure face and powerful gait. Like what Yugi felt in this place when first opening her eyes, but _more_. The magic is so potent she can practically taste it.

This woman is powerful, more powerful than anyone Yugi's ever faced before.

But she doesn't feel fear.

"Hi," Yugi greets with a chipper smile when the woman stops a few feet away. This might be a dream, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be polite. "My name's Yugi. What's yours?"

"My name is not important," the woman replies with a melodic voice. A small smile cracks her stoic face, softening the dangerous edge of her. "But it is a pleasure to meet you, young Yugi."

"Okay," she says slowly, rocking back on her heels. This certainly has to be one of the strangest dreams she's ever had. "Then can you tell me where we are?"

"A place between your world and mine. I was able to bring your mind here while your body sleeps so that we might talk."

"Talk about what?"

"Someone made a request of my husband." The small smile vanishes, the woman's brow furrowing in worry. "A decision must be made and I wish to be sure of the results before he gives his answer."

"And you think I can help with that?"

Just what help can Yugi be to a person like this?

"I do," the woman says with a firm nod, steepling her fingers as she inspects Yugi from head to toe with a critical eye. "Tell me, Yugi, do you miss Atem?"

Yugi doesn't even blink in surprise. Honestly, from the woman's bronze skin to the style of her dress, she screams Egyptian. And it shouldn't be surprising at all that thoughts of Atem would seep into her dreams. "I do," she replies honestly, heart twinging with a deep ache. "Every moment of every day."

The woman nods again, as if expecting the answer. "So you feel that you need him."

"I'm not sure 'need' is the right word." Yugi tilts her head, looking down in thought as she tries to parse her thoughts into words. "I _thought_ I needed him. I used to think I needed him to help me get through a lot of things. I didn't think of myself as strong or brave like him. But then I realized I am. I have those things inside of me. I don't _need_ him to hold my hand."

Yugi hesitates, biting her lip to keep more words back. Though, really, if she can't be honest in a dream, when can she be? Taking a deep breath, she finishes, "But I...wanted him to hold my heart. I don't think anyone else _can_."

The woman stays silent for a long time, so long Yugi wonders if the dream is about to end. But then the woman speaks, voice filled with a loneliness Yugi knows all too well, "I lost my husband, once."

"Oh," Yugi says dumbly, not really sure what to say. "I'm so sorry."

"He is fine now." The woman shrugs casually. "His brother betrayed him and tore him into hundreds of pieces that were then scattered throughout the world."

"That sounds," Yugi searches for a word, wondering how her subconscious came up with this, "excessive."

"It truly was," she agrees, like she's agreeing that the sky is blue, before sighing deeply. "I felt so lost without my husband. But I found the strength to go after him. I traversed to the farthest reaches of the world in search of all the pieces of him until I could make him whole once more. When I held my husband in my arms again, in that moment I realized how strong I truly was. Because I was able to endure all of that, on my own, and succeeded."

Yugi thinks she sees where this is going. She thinks. "So in losing him, you realized your own strength."

"Exactly." The woman clasps Yugi's hands in her own, squeezing gently with a broad smile more beautiful than her wings. "And I believe you have done the same."

Yugi's breath catches for some reason, even though this is just a dream. Still, anticipation bubbles in her gut. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, I believe my husband and I have an answer." Her wings flare out, spanning almost twenty feet and shimmering in a kaleidoscope of color. The room around them brightens, going from soft to blinding white and making Yugi shield her eyes.

"What's going on?" Yugi cries out, the light getting so intense she has no choice but to shut her eyes.

"You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure," the woman's voice echoes, getting further and further away. "It's all up to Atem now. But if he's half the duelist you believe him to be, then I'm sure everything will turn out as you hope, in the end."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Not really sure where this chapter came from? I wanted an explanation for Atem coming back but wasn't really sure how in-depth I wanted to go yet. Still, I at least wanted Yugi to be at least partially aware of what was going on. I do end up going further into detail about how Atem comes back in this, though, jumping off of this._

_But that'll be later._

_Next chapter is the chapter we all really want to get to. I'll post it in another day or two._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	12. Today

_**Author's Note**_

_And, I'm back. Cause I couldn't really sit on this chapter for long. XD I started posting soon after I finished writing this part for the same reason. Hope you like it as much as I do. It picks up right after the dream from last chapter._

_*rains Hogwarts points down like confetti* Kudos to the person who guessed it was Isis last chapter, by the way._

_Go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Today**_

Yugi wakes in a haze, head feeling like she dived too deep underwater. She sits up slowly, rubbing at her temples with her fingertips. "What a strange dream," she murmurs, the details fading with every passing moment until all she can recall are feathers and a kind smile.

And hope, burning brightly in her chest.

A hope for...what?

She doesn't remember.

Maybe she's just hoping to win her duel today. It's the final day of the Second Annual KC Grand Championship. She's to fight the final duelist today for the title of Queen of Games. Or King, it could turn out to be, especially since Kaiba's competing this year.

She doesn't want to lose the title. To lose it, it would feel like letting Atem down somehow.

Knocking on the door makes her groan, rolling out of the hotel bed to yank it open. She leans against the doorjamb, blinking blearily in the hallway light at her visitor.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Mokuba says with a chipper smile, way too awake for first thing in the morning. "A bunch of us were gonna get together for breakfast downstairs in the hotel restaurant. You wanna join us?"

"Sure, Mokuba," she replies, rubbing tiredly at an eye with the heel of her hand. "Just, give me a few minutes and I'll meet you down there."

She shuts the door on Mokuba's ecstatic grin, unable to deal with the overactive kid at the moment. He's almost thirteen. When is the usual teenage yearning to sleep as much as possible going to kick in for him? Yugi's feeling it plenty herself right now, wishing she could just crawl back into bed, but she already slept in a lot this morning. Staying at the onsite hotel for Kaiba Land means almost no commute time to the tournament.

Maybe she could skip breakfast? It would also mean missing all of Kaiba's digs about taking the title from her and becoming the true King of Games. Tempting.

Then again, Mokuba's disappointed pout can be brutal.

She sighs deeply, pulling out clothes from the dresser. No, best not skip. Besides, this way, she can also rub all those digs right back into Kaiba's face when she wins.

She smirks at the thought, pulling her black tank top on over her head.

Now _that_ face will be priceless.

After pulling on pants, shoes, and the belt with her deck pouch, she hurries out the door, a slight bounce to her step now. Today will be a good day. She can feel it.

Breakfast goes good, Joey, Tristan, and Tèa showing up to eat with her, Mokuba, and Kaiba as well. As she suspected, Kaiba talks trash throughout the entire meal, Tristan and Joey taking turns talking right back with Mokuba egging them all on. Yugi and Tèa share a commiserated sigh, wondering how they ended up with such knuckleheads as friends.

But there's laughter around the entire table, even from Kaiba, even when people from the other tables give them dirty looks. More laughter than Yugi's heard in a while.

Towards the end of the meal, Tèa gets a call on her cell phone and excuses herself, leaving Yugi to suffer on her own. The arguing heats up while she's gone, becoming a little less like friendly banter and leaning more towards physical fight. Yugi just starts thinking about going after Tèa when she rushes back in, eyes wide and hands shaking as she works to disentangle the strap of her purse from the back of her chair.

"Tèa?" Yugi asks in concern, placing a hand on her shoulder to make her stop for a second. "Everything okay?"

"No," Tèa pants, like she's been running for miles and still has miles to go. "I-I mean yes, everything's fine. Or it will be. I just have a little emergency I have to take care of and then I'll be right back."

"What's wrong?" Tristan asks, half standing from his seat. "Do you need me to take you somewhere on my bike?"

"No, a taxi will be better for this."

"Forget a taxi." Mokuba pulls out his phone, typing out a text. "I'll have a car pulled up for you. The driver will take you anywhere you need to go."

Tèa's shoulders relax slightly, a small smile breaking through the frenzy. "Thanks." She gets her purse free, waving at them over her shoulder as she rushes towards the exit. "I'll explain everything when I get back. Promise!"

"Well, that was weird," Joey comments around a mouthful of waffle.

"I wouldn't expect anything else from you dorks," Kaiba gripes, standing up and tossing his napkin down. "Come on, it's almost time for the next duel."

Yugi stands as well, putting the whole thing out of her mind. Hopefully, everything's okay and it's nothing major. But if Tèa needs their help, Yugi's sure Tèa will let them know.

The rest of the matches go by quickly, duelists picking each other off in a brutal clash of monsters and holograms. Players drop, one by one, until only a single duelist remains.

Kaiba, of course.

But Yugi prepared for that eventuality, her deck ready for all three of his Blue Eyes. She debates on putting in the Egyptian God Cards but ultimately decides against it. Using those almost feels like cheating, giving herself an unfair advantage.

Kaiba deserves an even playing field.

Yugi walks down the hallway leading to the final dueling field, slipping on her dueling disk. Butterflies nibble into the inside of her stomach. She's dueled in the months since getting back from Egypt but this feels different.

Because it's Kaiba. She's never faced such a tough opponent without Yami.

"I can do this," she whispers to herself, stepping out onto the arena surrounded by hundreds of cheering people sitting in the stadium. So, so many people. Yugi gulps, almost stumbling in her step before she takes a deep breath and keeps going to stand in front of Kaiba.

She can do this. She can totally do this.

They shuffle each other's decks, handing them back and inserting them into their disks.

"It's time to duel."

* * *

Yugi breathes hard, waiting out the dust storm of her last monster heading to the graveyard. Three Blue Eyes White Dragons stand before her, jaws glistening in the sunlight as they crouch in anticipation for their next attack.

But it's Yugi's move now. She has one last chance to turn this duel around. She's got three hundred life points left, Kaiba has a thousand, and she has two useless monsters in her hand. Neither of them are strong enough to take on even one Blue Eyes. But if she can just get one good card, she can turn this duel around.

She glances up at the balcony where her friends watch, cheering her on. Everyone except Tèa. She still hasn't returned from her emergency, even though it's been hours. Yugi's chest tightens in worry, but she can't think about that now. She needs to focus.

Placing her hand on her deck, she draws one last card.

Well, maybe not her last.

"I play Pot of Greed," she declares, sliding the card into a slot of her duel disk to play it. "This allows me to draw two more cards."

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Kaiba says, rolling his eyes. "Just hurry up already so I can crush you."

"Patience, Kaiba," she tells him with a smirk, drawing her two cards.

_"Please, heart of the cards,"_ she begs. _"Please, help me win so I can keep my title. For Atem."_

Glancing down at her cards, she suppresses an all-out grin. Just what she needed.

"I play Double Summon, allowing me to make two normal summons this turn." She pulls out one of her monsters, placing it on the face of the duel disk in attack mode. Kaiba has no face down cards, so she doesn't have to worry about any traps. "And my first summon is Kuriboh."

"Aww, how cute," Kaiba deadpans as Kuriboh appears on the field, brown fur shaking as he coos happily. "Is the little puff ball going to give my dragons a paper cut with its little claws?"

"Not today, unfortunately. I sacrifice Kuriboh so I can perform my second summon, Dark Magician Girl, in defense mode!"

The young sorceress kneels on the field, looking back at Yugi with a nod of determination.

Yugi holds up the last card in her hand. "I then play one card face down," she places the card down in the spells and traps zone, "and end my turn."

Kaiba barks out a laugh. "That's pathetic! One little girl to protect you from all three of my Blue Eyes? You don't deserve the title of Queen of Games. You never did!" He flings out a hand, fingers splayed, as he orders, "Now, Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack her Dark Magician Girl!"

One of the Blue Eyes opens his mouth, blue lightning building in his mouth.

And Yugi smiles.

"Your arrogance is your downfall, Kaiba." She presses the button for her facedown card and the trap flips up on the field. "I activate the trap card Wall of Disturbance!"

Kaiba steps back in alarm, quick brain already doing the math. "No!"

"Oh, yes. For every monster you control, eight hundred points get deducted from your attack-position monsters. And since all three of your Blue Eyes are in attack mode, that means they each lose a total of twenty-four hundred attack points, bringing them down to a measly six hundred."

The energy in the dragon's mouth crackles to a crescendo, Kaiba helpless to stop the dragon's attack since it's already started. "No, it can't be!"

"It is," Yugi says, chin held high as the Blue Eyes launches his attack. The blast hits Dark Magician Girl, but since her defense is seventeen hundred, the attack does nothing to her. The dragon explodes in blue shards instead, taking the eleven hundred difference out of Kaiba's life points.

Bringing him down to zero.

"I lost?" Kaiba mutters, falling to his knees in disbelief as all the holograms disappear. "To _you_?"

"You seem to forget, Kaiba," Yugi chuckles, stepping closer so he's the only one who hears above the roar of the cheering crowds. "Atem may have been the one to beat you, but _I_ beat _him_. And besides, all the time we were together, we learned from each other. I even _helped_ him during duels. We worked together. So, really, it wasn't just Atem who beat you before. It was both of us."

And now she's beaten Kaiba by herself. Now, truly, she feels that she's earned her title of Queen of Games. She's faced some tough duels before, but no one has ever really challenged her quite like Kaiba has.

"Yugi Mutou!"

The doors leading back inside the building suddenly burst open, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a crazed look in his eye running out.

With a knife clutched in his hand.

"It should have been me!" he shouts, waving the knife around as he stalks towards them, people in the audience screaming in horror. Kaiba cautiously rises to his feet, arms held out at his sides and knees bent like he's about to pounce. Though what he plans to do against a knife, Yugi doesn't know. "I should have been the one to face you! I should have been King of Games!"

"You lost your very first match, Harper," Kaiba growls, edging closer to the man while staying between him and Yugi. "You don't have what it takes to be King of Games!"

Kaiba leaps forward, going for the hand holding the knife. They struggle, stumbling around the arena as they fight for dominance. Yugi's breath catches in her throat as she watches them.

As she watches the knife, remembering when she saw gleaming silver drenched in red.

Yelling draws her widened gaze up, to someone in jeans and a hoodie standing on the railing of the balcony above. He has the hood up, the bright sunlight behind him casting his face in shadow. She can't tell who it is—none of her friends are wearing that outfit and they're the only ones who were supposed to be up there—but then her curiosity dissipates as he jumps.

He seems to fly for a second, like an angel descending from the heavens.

The man with the knife—Harper—gets in a lucky elbow, shoving Kaiba away from him. Harper spins around, head shooting up just as the jumper lands on him.

The knife goes skittering across the floor and Yugi finally breathes.

Security arrives, five big men helping the jumper get Harper to his feet, hands held firmly behind his back as he tries to flail and bite.

"Get him out of my sight," Kaiba orders, rubbing at his sore jaw. The men do as he says, carting Harper away as he shouts out protests and profanities. Kaiba then turns to the guy who jumped, arching a brow at him before snorting in what could almost be humor. "Well, it's about time."

The guy just shrugs and she imagines a smirk on his face, even though he's facing away from her. Do these two know each other? Is that why he was up on the balcony? Her mind feels sluggish, heartrate struggling to come back down.

Her eyes slide over to the knife, seeing red pooling beneath it for a second. It disappears in a blink.

Taking a slow, deep breath, she fingers the eye of her necklace, trying to ground herself in the present.

"Yugi!" Tèa shouts, her and the others running out to join them. Tèa looks her over in concern. "Are you okay?"

Yugi nods jerkily. "I-I'm fine."

"What the heck, Kaiba?" Joey yells, getting in Kaiba's face with clenched fists. "What kinda place you runnin' here, letting a guy like that get through security with a _knife_?"

"You watch your tone, Wheeler," Kaiba snaps. "We have some of the best security in the world."

"Well, not good enough, apparently. Seriously, Sea World does better than this!"

"Enough!" Mokuba worms his way between them, giving them both a stern glare. "Look, let's just get all of you someplace safe while Seto and I do a full security sweep. We can do the closing ceremony later."

"You thinking there might be more trouble?" Tristan asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I'm thinking, it was too easy for Harper to get this far," Kaiba replies, coat swishing around his legs in true Kaiba dramatics as he heads back inside. "At least without help."

With that foreboding thought, they all follow after him, Yugi trailing along behind. This has seriously been a messed-up day. Are any of these tournaments going to ever go smoothly?

A hand presses lightly against the small of her back as they enter the hallway, the sudden pressure almost making Yugi trip. She looks over her shoulder at the guy who tackled Harper, but he keeps his face tilted away from her, hidden by his hoodie.

Who is this guy? And why does she feel so at ease around him?

She allows his hand to stay as they walk through the hallways, Mokuba pausing in front of a random door as Kaiba continues along without them. "You can stay here, for now," Mokuba says, pushing the door in. "I'll keep guards posted right outside, just in case."

"How long do you think it's going to take?" Tèa asks.

"Not long, hopefully. I have a feeling Seto has an idea of where to start looking."

"Thanks, Mokuba," Yugi says, giving his shoulder a grateful squeeze as she passes him into the room. It's just a sitting room, couches and chairs scattered about, intended for duelists waiting for their next chance to duel.

The hand on her back disappears and she turns around to see the guy in the hoodie facing away from her again, hand on the door as if he's about to close it with just the two of them inside. Her brow furrows as she glances at the others, expecting them to come in after them, but they all just grin at the two of them madly.

"How about the rest of you stay across the hall," Mokuba suggests, already backing away from the door. "I get the feeling they'll want some privacy."

Tèa giggles as Tristan says, "You read my mind. Hey, you got any food in this place?"

"Yeah!" Joey jumps in happily. "I'm starving!"

The door closes, cutting off any further sounds or conversation, leaving Yugi completely alone. With some _guy_.

Why did her friends just abandon her with him?

The guy sighs heavily in relief and Yugi wraps her arms around herself, waiting. If he knows Kaiba, then he can't be that bad. But, what, does he want to talk to her or something?

He raises his hands to his hood, hesitating for a second before lowering it and turning around.

All the breath leaves Yugi's lungs, hand scrabbling to grab onto the back of a nearby chair before her knees completely buckle. She has to be seeing things. This has to be some sort of hallucination brought on by her almost-panic-attack.

She shakes her head, blinking hard a few times.

Nope, still there, looking no different than the last day she saw him—crimson eyes, wild spiky hair, bronze skin. Everything's exactly as she remembers him, except the clothes on his back. It's weird to see him in something not her clothes. She thought so when they were in the puzzle, too, delving through his memories with him in Egyptian attire.

But they're not in the puzzle now.

"A-Atem?" she whimpers, wanting to go to him but afraid she'll fall on her first step.

Atem moves for her, eating up the distance in three quick strides. His hands cup her face, thumbs wiping away her tears, and she gasps. She can feel that. He's warm and solid and alive and _here_.

"Hello," he whispers, tears brimming in his own eyes.

They can touch. They can really touch.

"Hey," she whispers back, covering his hands with hers and holding on with all her might. "This is real, right? You're really here?"

He nods and she can hardly believe it. He's real. He came back.

"And...and you're not going anywhere? You won't have to leave or...go back or anything?"

"I'm here to stay," he promises, eyes darting away and then back again. "As long as you want me."

"Always," she chokes out, flinging herself into him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Always, always, always."

His arms band around her like a vice, both of them gripping too tightly but neither of them care.

Yugi just breathes, face buried in Atem's neck as her chest and head fill with more warmth and happiness than feels possible for one person to feel. He's here, her best friend—her partner and other half—is here and he's not leaving and how is it even possible?

"How?" she asks, voice tight as she tries to push back the tears. "I thought...I thought you were never coming back."

"That's how it was supposed to be," he says, pressing a kiss to her temple and just resting his mouth there, giving them another point of contact. "I thought I was okay with that but...it wasn't long until I realized I wasn't."

Yugi looks over her shoulder, drawing Atem over to one of the sofas without them letting go of each other. It's more of a shuffle than a walk, but they manage it, Atem sitting down first and pulling Yugi into his lap.

She has some serious déjà vu, thinking about the oasis. She'll miss that place. But that was all an illusion, a place crafted by half-remembered memories that they were only allowed to visit because of the magic of the puzzle. This—this is real. This is something she always dreamed of but assumed she could never have.

Now, somehow, she can.

"When I walked through the doors after the duel, I was reunited with all of my friends," Atem begins, tucking her under his chin as he speaks. "With my memories returned, I realized how much I had missed them, even though I didn't know _to_ miss them before. They told me all about their lives and what happened after I went into the puzzle."

"Why _did_ you go into the puzzle?" Yugi asks, suddenly realizing just how little of Atem's past she actually knows. They didn't really have time to talk before the Ceremonial Duel.

But now they have all the time. All the time in the world.

"After defeating Zorc, I knew he would one day try to return. My priestess, Isis, saw a vision of it with the Millennium Necklace. We didn't know when, exactly. Just that it would not be in our lifetimes. And I was the only one with the power to stop him. And so, just a single day after peace was restored, I gave up my life to my puzzle, trapping my soul inside so that I could be here to one day face him again."

Yugi sits up all the way in alarm, placing her hands on his shoulders to look at him. "So you basically _died _at the age of, what, seventeen?"

"Eighteen," he corrects solemnly, drawing her back against him. "And, yes, I basically died that day, the puzzle wiping my memories as well." He rubs his hand along her back, up and down. For her comfort or his, she's not sure. "But I knew someone brave and strong and kind would one day solve the puzzle and release me, and together we would defeat Zorc for the last time."

"I'm so glad I was able to." She wraps her arms around his waist, burrowing against him. "So you were reunited with everyone. What happened after that?"

"I was happy, for a little while, at least. It was good to be back with everyone I had lost but," he sighs deeply, running his fingers through her hair, "I realized someone was missing."

"Who? A family member?"

He pokes her nose with his finger, giving her that small smile she loves so much. "You, of course."

Her nose crinkles with her smile, warmth blossoming in her chest. "Really?"

"Yugi, leaving you behind was the hardest thing I ever had to do," Atem says, his eyes boring into hers with the weight of his words. "I knew it was the right thing to do, to send the Millennium Items back to where they came from, but…I realized I could never be truly happy in the afterlife. Not without you."

He leans down, nuzzling his face gently into her hair. "And so, I challenged Osiris to a duel."

Yugi waits for a joke or punchline or something. None come, just a growing silence. He can't be serious. She sits up again, narrowing her eyes at him. "You can't be serious."

He arches a brow at her. "I am serious."

"You challenged the god of the underworld to a _duel_?"

"It seemed like the thing to do at the time." He gives a careless shrug. "I wanted to leave the underworld to come back to the land of the living. He'd be the person to ask."

"But," she balks, mouth opening and closing a couple of times, "a _duel_?"

"Well, nothing's ever free. And it's not like he allows every spirit who asks to come back to life. A challenge had to be made. A duel seemed the most logical choice since, as you know," he gives her a smirk, "it's something I'm very good at."

She smacks his shoulder. "That's not funny! What would have happened if you lost?"

"Nothing, really. I just had to promise never to ask again and accept my fate in the Field of Reeds. But it doesn't matter anyway because I beat him, fair and square."

Yugi deflates in relief. Shadow Games are no joke. The consequences of going up against a _god_, well, Yugi doesn't even want to think about it. He could have lost his soul, trying to get back to the land of the living.

Trying to get back to her.

"Yugi." He takes her chin between his thumb and forefinger, making her look him directly in the eye. Something warm blossoms there, something she's seen before, but always suppressed. Locked away where it couldn't spread.

But now it burns like a wildfire, spreading into her veins and lighting her up on the inside.

"I would have risked anything to return to you," he tells her firmly, pressing their foreheads together. "Anything."

"But why?" She shakes her head, eyes stinging again as her hands clutch at the front of his hoodie. "Atem, if anything had happened to you…."

He shushes her softly, sliding his thumb up to cover her lips. "You know why. And today I'm going to tell you."

Yugi's breath hitches.

Finally, they've reached today.

"I have fought gods and monsters," he begins slowly, his conviction increasing with every word. "I've slayed demons and lost my life well before my time. I spent five thousand years trapped inside the puzzle and I spent two years as a spirit with no body of my own. I was then forced to leave behind the person who matters most to me, all for the sake of saving the world." His hand moves up to cup the side of her face, her vision filled with only him. "The least the gods owe me is a chance at real happiness, at living a real, full life until I'm old and withered. And I can't imagine living that life without you, Yugi Mutou, because I love you."

That unspoken thing, finally said aloud.

Atem presses his lips against hers, soft and sure and _warm_. He fills her with so much warmth, that same warmth she's always felt along their bond, and she kisses him back eagerly, hoping he feels the same.

His hand moves to the back of her head, his other arm tightening around her waist to draw her closer. Her arms wrap around his neck, wishing she could stay here forever, just fill her days with Atem's kisses. She'd been afraid to imagine this before—her link with Atem making it hard to keep things from each other—but this is better than anything she ever could have imagined. Her skin prickles everywhere they touch, his lips moving against hers in greedy pushes and pulls like they're trying to make up for all the lost time.

So much lost time. But they can have this now. No more denial. No more pushing the truth away.

They break away for air, Yugi panting against his lips as she whispers, "I love you, too. I love you so much."

The grin Atem gives her, full of teeth and dimpled cheeks and lit-up eyes—it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. Never has she seen him exude so much happiness. The thought that she can bring this out of him just boggles her mind.

He claims her mouth again, twisting them so she ends up lying on the couch on her back, his weight settled pleasantly over her. Cradling the back of her neck in his hand, he angles her head and nips at her bottom lip. She gasps, feeling his tongue slide in along hers as he deepens the kiss.

"Hey, guys, the coast is clear now!" Mokuba bursts into the room jubilantly without knocking. "It was just a stolen keycard, not an inside job or any—"

He finally notices Yugi and Atem on the couch, still twisted up in each other and not paying attention to anything at all.

Mokuba blinks a few times, red creeping along his face. "Well, I'll just…leave you to it, then."

The door softly closes behind him, Yugi and Atem never parting their lips.

Something slots back into place in Yugi's chest, something that had been missing since the day of the Ceremonial Duel. And she plans on never letting it—him—go, ever again.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_I bounced between ideas for their reunion for so long, I can't even begin to explain. But I really like how this turned out. Sorry if the duel part was only a little eh though. I didn't want to linger on it too long but I didn't want to just gloss over it either._

_And now that these two are finally properly together, it's time to bump up the fluff level to tooth-rotting._

_Ah, fluff. So what I need in my life right now._

_That's why I just kind of jumped over their time in the puzzle going through Atem's memories. Even though there are some prime Yugi/Yami moments there, I knew they would be tainted with angst. And I don't really want to do angst right now. Maybe one day I'll go back and do some, but not now._

_Next chapter is a direct follow-up to this one. I'll probably post it over the weekend._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	13. Better Together

_**Author's Note**_

_Sorry it's been so long. Life got really busy, plus a mini vacation with friends. But I am back with a little bit more for Yugi and Atem._

_But only a little bit more. I've only got one more chapter written after this, then I think I'll call it quits. There's so much more I can do with them, so I may revisit eventually, but for now, I think I'm about done._

_So, go onward and enjoy!_

* * *

_**Better Together**_

"So how did you end up here?" Yugi asks sometime later, after the urgency and desperation fades away to just a low simmer. They lay sprawled out on the couch still, Yugi half on top of Atem and their arms wrapped tightly around each other. They're pretty sure everything with Harper has been resolved but neither feels like moving from this couch, let alone the waiting room. "You defeated Osiris. Then what happened? How'd you find me?"

"Well, before I could return, I first needed a body," Atem says, fiddling idly with the ends of her hair. "Right after Osiris's defeat, his wife, Isis, started working on a new body for me, along with Anubis. They both wield powerful magic, so it didn't take long. And they did a remarkable job. My body looks exactly as I remember it. Same scars, same age, same everything."

He raises a hand, turning his palm this way and that as he inspects it. "It really is quite impressive. After that, they gave me some clothes and shoved me through a portal, right into the middle of an alleyway."

"Seriously?" she asks in bafflement, taking his hand and twining their fingers together. "They just stuffed you back into the land of the living in some random place."

"I don't think it was so random. It was just a block away from the game shop. Which was a good thing since I was so exhausted. Coming back to life was surprisingly jarring. I had just enough energy to stumble through the shop door. Luckily, grandpa was there and he caught me right before I passed out."

Yugi shoves herself up on an elbow, hovering over him worriedly. "Are you okay?" She runs a hand over his chest, up his side, his shoulder, searching for injuries until she cups the side of his face. Everything feels alright. He didn't even wince, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything wrong beneath the surface.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He catches her hand before she can start another circuit, kissing her fingertips. "I promise, partner, I'm perfectly healthy. I just needed sleep."

She opens her mouth to ask again if he's sure but then something he said makes her throat grow tight.

He notices the shift in her, brow furrowing in concern. "Yugi? What's wrong?"

"You called me partner," she whispers, trying to push more tears back. She's sick of crying. She's happy. Tears shouldn't have anything to do with that. "I didn't realize I missed being called that so much until now."

"I know what you mean." He leans up, pressing his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "It feels good to have my real name back, but I still half-expected to be called Yami while in the Field of Reeds."

She tilts her head, brushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes. "You'd really want me to call you Yami again instead of Atem?"

"Maybe not instead, but as a…nickname. Like how I call you partner."

"Names only for us." She lays back down, nuzzling into his chest. It's like another way to say "I love you" without everyone thinking they're being mushy all the time since they're not like the traditional pet names couples have for each other. "I like it. Yami."

He hums happily, the sound vibrating in his chest beneath her cheek. "I'm glad you do, partner. Now, where was I?"

"You passed out at the game shop." Gods, she can't believe he actually ended up at the game shop. If he had only arrived a day later, she would have been there to help him herself.

"That's right. Thankfully, grandpa recognized me right away and called Tèa's cell phone. She was there when I woke up a few hours later. I asked where you were, but they said you were at Kaiba Land for the championship and wouldn't be back for a while yet. So I decided to go to you. They tried to stop me, of course, but I could remember how to get here from before. I was ready to just come by myself, with or without their help, and I told them so."

Yugi giggles, folding her hands on his chest and propping her chin on top so she can look at him. "You weren't excited to see me again, were you?" she teases.

"Of course, I was," he replies, in all seriousness. "For a god, Osiris doesn't like to stay still very much. It took me months to track him down within the Underworld. That was long enough."

"Yeah," she whispers, heat spreading on her cheeks, "it really was. I'm glad you didn't wait."

"I'm glad Tèa decided to help. She found me some modern clothes and then brought me here. Just in time to catch the tail end of your duel against Kaiba. Excellent job, by the way," he praises with a sly grin. "I like how you lured him into destroying himself."

"He made it easy. Getting underestimated has its advantages sometimes."

"That it does." His arm tightens around her and Atem scoots them further down the couch to prop himself up on the armrest to look at her easier. Finger shaking, he strokes the side of her face, a line creasing in his forehead. "And then there was that man."

Yugi folds in on herself, burying her face in his chest. "Yeah. The guy with the knife."

"Are you okay?" His hand strokes through her hair a few times before sliding down her back. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No," she mumbles. "He never got near me."

Kaiba stayed between her and Harper the entire time. He never even touched her.

"But...it looked like you froze."

She reaches for her necklace, playing with the Millennium eye charm with her fingers. "I did, maybe a little. Seeing the knife, it...reminded me of before. But you helped me through it. You've helped me a lot, even when you weren't there."

"Good." He presses a kiss to the top of her head, drawing her just a little bit closer. "I'll always be here for you, partner. Always."

"You will," she whispers, the truth of it finally starting to sink in. "You really will. Thank you, Yami."

She won't lose him again. She knows she doesn't need him. She's learned that now. But she wants him here with her. To be her partner, her best friend, her everything. Her light in the darkness. Not because she's not strong enough to face the darkness on her own. Because she can, just like she did with Harper.

That doesn't mean she has to face it alone.

The door bangs open, slamming against the wall and startling them both. Joey walks into the room with a hand outstretched in front of him, the other covering his eyes. "Hello?" he yells loudly, like he's pretending to be deaf as well as blind. "You guys still in here? Is it safe to come in? You're not doing anything mushy, are yah?"

Yugi rolls her eyes, getting off of Atem so they can sit properly on the couch. "It's safe to look, Joey. You're not gonna get scarred or anything."

Atem grabs her hand, weaving their fingers together and sliding over so that they sit flush from hip to ankle. When Joey lowers his hand and sees them, he pulls a face. "Yah sure about that?"

"Oh, give it a rest, Joey," Tèa admonishes, pushing Joey out of the way so she, Tristan, Mokuba, and Kaiba can enter the room as well. "They've been through a lot."

"So, Atem, how was the afterlife?" Tristan asks, grinning from ear to ear. "Not as good of company as us, am I right?"

"There were a few things that were certainly…lacking." Atem's eyes slide over to Yugi's and she suppresses a chuckle.

"But won't you miss the people you left behind?" Mokuba asks, sitting down on one of the couches with everyone else following suit. "I mean, you hadn't seen them in forever. Wasn't reuniting with all of them kind of the point of all this?"

"I stepped through that door because I had to," Atem answers solemnly, gripping Yugi's hand tightly in his. "I came back because I wanted to. I'll see them again someday. But all of you…I want to spend the life I should have had with you."

"Aww, you do care!" Joey shouts exuberantly, jumping from his seat to grab Atem in a headlock. Joey ruffles his hair roughly with a goofball smile. "Welcome back, buddy!"

"Yeah, it's good to have you back," Tèa says, eyes suspiciously shiny.

"That's great and all," Kaiba interrupts before they can get too carried away, one ankle propped on his other knee. "But there's a bit of a problem."

"Yeah?" Joey asks defensively, letting Atem go to perch on the armrest of the sofa. "And what might that be?"

"That Atem doesn't actually exist."

Yugi's heart lodges in her throat as she subconsciously leans into Atem's side. No, he's real, he's here, he's right here. Everyone can see him. He's not a spirit and he's not just in her head.

"I thought we broke you of that, Kaiba," Tristan says, shaking his head. "Atem's real. All the magic and monsters that was going on was real. I thought we proved that when Yugi and Atem split to have their duel."

"I'm talking about legally, you moron." Kaiba rolls his eyes and Yugi relaxes back into the couch. Right. Of course. He didn't mean…right. "No birth certificate, no parents, no social security number, no trace in the educational system. He doesn't exist anywhere on record."

"Yeah, but we can take care of that," Mokuba says confidently before looking up at his brother, "can't we, Seto?"

Kaiba sighs dramatically. "It'll take a lot of money going to some not-so-honest people, but yeah. We can have some forgeries made and get them to you by tomorrow." He stands, heading for the door with Mokuba following after him. "I'd recommend getting a tutor, though, before trying to get any kind of job. Listening in on high school classes for two years won't get you far."

"Kaiba," Atem calls after him, making him pause with his hand on the doorknob but not turning around. "Thank you. I'll pay you back, for everything."

"I don't want your money." Kaiba looks at him over his shoulder, lips twitching up slightly. "I want a duel."

Yugi snorts. "Of course, you do. Dueling me isn't enough?"

Kaiba's eyes narrow. "You won today, Queen of Games. But I still want to battle the King." He yanks the door open. "I'll be in touch once you're settled."

"Hmm, the King and Queen of Games," Atem mutters, pressing a kiss to the side of her head as the Kaiba brothers leave. "I kind of like the sound of that."

Yugi smiles. Yeah, she kind of does, too. Maybe once his identity is all set up, they can get him established in the dueling world. Make it official.

"Alright, alright, enough of this serious talk!" Joey jumps to his feet, pumping his fist in the air. "It's time to celebrate!"

The ending ceremonies get done eventually. Honestly, Yugi hardly notices and neither do the others. They just care about the party part. There's food and music and laughter with all the duelists who participated in the tournament. People congratulate her on retaining her title.

Yugi could care less, really. She just cares about the hand holding hers, the hand that never lets go for even a second.

They don't leave Kaiba Land until late, so late none of them know if it's late night or technically early morning. They go their separate ways one by one until only Yugi and Atem remain, walking the rest of the way to the game shop.

They find grandpa still waiting up for them and Yugi freezes, looking back and forth between him and Atem and not really sure how this will go. She wants Atem to stay with them. That was the plan—was always the plan since she first saw him hours earlier—but she didn't really think about asking for permission. Atem has nowhere else to go, though.

Turns out, she worries for nothing. Grandpa just pulls Atem into a hug, welcomes him home, and makes up the couch with blankets and pillows until they can figure out something more permanent.

Yugi thanks him profusely, hugging her grandpa goodnight before he trudges tiredly to his own room. As soon as he's out of sight, Atem draws her into another hug, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her lips.

Gods, she could get used to this. She can get used to this—she's allowed to, she has a chance to. She can still hardly believe it.

"I'm so glad you're here," she whispers against his lips before leaning up for more.

He hums in contentment, pressing a kiss to her jaw, her cheek, her temple, before tucking her close. "Me, too, partner."

Her fingers curl into the back of his hoodie. "And you'll still be here when I wake up, right?"

"Yes," he says with all the confidence and authority of the pharaoh he used to be. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good." She steals one last kiss before pulling away. "Goodnight, Yami. I love you."

He smiles softly, tugging her back for just one more kiss. "I love you, too, partner. Sweet dreams."

It feels weird, leaving him behind to go to her bedroom. It's like right after Egypt all over again, having to adapt to being alone without her constant shadow. In the few hours he's been back, Yugi got used to always having him by her side, just like it used to be. A part of her half-expected things to return to that old normal, always having Atem with her.

But it can't be like that now. Not exactly. Because he has his own body. It'll take some getting used to, but this is definitely better than what they had before. Being fully corporeal to each other outside their own heads is definitely better.

The thing is, she's not the only one who needs to get used to it.

She goes through her nightly routine, gets into pajamas, and climbs into bed. The house feels quiet. Too quiet, really. Used to be that she and Yami would talk to each other until she drifted off to sleep. Now, she tosses and turns, just listening to the silence.

Just when Yugi starts drifting off into an exhausted sleep, her door slowly creeks open.

Heart pounding against her ribcage, her eyes fly open and suddenly she feels wide awake. She sits up in a rush, mind racing as she tries to think of something nearby she can use as a weapon.

"It's okay," Atem whispers in the dark, closing the door softly and shuffling across the floor. "It's just me, partner."

"Jeez, Atem," she breathes, flopping back down on her bed. "You scared me half to death."

"Sorry." The bedsprings creek as he sits on the side of the bed, blindly feeling around until he finds her hand. Even without the bond she can practically feel the anxiety rolling off of him.

She squeezes his hand, trying to send him comfort. "What's wrong, Yami?"

"I…," he sighs deeply. "It's silly."

"I'm sure it's not." She sits up, propping her chin on his shoulder. This was all a lot easier when they had the bond. They couldn't read each other's minds, exactly, but she could at least get a feel for where his head's at. "C'mon. Talk to me."

"I…haven't needed sleep in a very long time," he admits softly, squeezing her hand tightly. "And I think I…may have gotten too used to always having you right next to me. Especially at night."

"And now you can't fall asleep." She presses a kiss to his shoulder, nuzzling into the baggy shirt her grandpa lent him. "I know how you feel. Well, except for the not needing sleep part. And I definitely need sleep now."

Mind fuzzy and filled with so much I-don't-care-just-give-me-sleep, she doesn't think before budging back on her bed, tugging Atem after her.

"What are you doing?" he asks cautiously, not moving from his spot.

"C'mon, lie down."

"Partner, are you sure that's wise?" His voice sounds oddly higher than normal. Yugi would laugh if she wasn't so exhausted. "What if your grandpa comes in to check on you?"

"Don't care, too tired." She lays down on her side with her back against the wall, Atem stiffly laying down in front of her. She tugs at the blankets until they cover them both, curling into his side with her head on his shoulder.

Atem finally relaxes then, wrapping his arm around her to draw her even closer.

"Better?" she asks around a yawn. Sleep doesn't feel so far away now. Now that everything is back where it should be.

"Much," he murmurs, sleep making his voice heavy. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

After all, they're back together now. There's no reason for them to be apart if they don't want to be. Everything always feels better when they're together. Like it used to be.

But a thousand times more fantastic.

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_Everyone is all together again and happy, yay!_

_Next chapter will be another direct continuation, and as I said, it will probably be the last one I do. At least, for now. I think I'll keep with my tradition with posting the last two chapters of a fic on the same day, so it should be up shortly._

_Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


	14. Taking It All In

_**Author's Note**_

_And, here's the second chapter of the day. And the last of this fic._

_Go onward and enjoy one last dose of pure fluff._

* * *

_**Taking It All In**_

Yugi wakes to warmth. A warmth and contentment she hasn't felt in a long time.

Her eyes blink open drowsily, squinting in confusion through the dim light filtering in through her bedroom's skylight. The sun must just be peeking its head up, meaning she has a few more hours to sleep yet. She shifts a bit, trying to get comfortable again as she closes her eyes.

Arms tighten around her waist and her breath hitches.

Atem nuzzles his face against the back of her neck, grumbling slightly before his breaths even out again, falling deeper back into sleep.

Yugi smiles into the bicep that acts as her pillow, leaning more fully against Atem where he spoons at her back. So it really was real, then. Atem returned. To her. So they can be together.

Properly be together, in all the ways she could only imagine before.

Slowly, carefully, she shifts around on the bed until she faces him, just watching him as he sleeps. Something she never thought she'd be able to do. He never slept before, not even inside the soul rooms.

He looks so peaceful, now, mouth slightly parted and face devoid of the tension he always seemed to carry while living as a spirit. He seems younger. Less troubled. More vulnerable. The teenage boy he really is, not the ageless pharaoh responsible for the safety of his people, his kingdom, the entire world. He can live a normal life now. Without all that pressure and responsibility.

And he wants to live that life with her. It seems so impossible for some reason. More impossible than Atem coming back to life.

That he would love her like that.

"You're staring," Atem suddenly whispers, making her jump. He smirks infuriatingly and she levels a glare at him even though he can't see it.

"How can you tell? Your eyes aren't even open."

His smirk widens into a little grin. "I can just tell. You're staring."

She rolls her eyes. "Well, you used to do it to me all the time. Call it payback."

His eyes slowly open, laughing as they gaze right back at her. The intensity of it makes her blush. Like looking at the sun. Tightening his arms, he draws her nearer, chest to chest as he presses his lips to hers in a slow, lazy kiss.

She melts into him, arms coming up so she can bury her fingers in his hair.

How did she ever live without this before? How did they never give in to this warmth? It burns in her chest and spreads through her limbs like an addictive drug she can never get enough of.

She's never felt more happy—more alive.

"I love you," she whispers against his mouth, their breaths mixing together as much as their legs.

"I love you, too," he says, his smile more felt than seen as he kisses her again.

They stay like that for a while, just lazing in bed while sharing kisses and comfort. Basking in each other's presence and the fact that they are together again. The room gradually brightens as time goes on, the birds outside coming awake with their music. Morning ticks on without them, Yugi uncaring about it at all, but Atem eventually pulls away.

"Shouldn't we be getting up?" Atem asks, resting their foreheads together.

"I'm teaching you something here, Yami," she says with a mischievous grin, brushing her nose against his. "This is the art of sleeping in."

"I used to rise with the rising of the sun."

Her nose screws up in distaste. "Dawn is way too early to be getting out of bed. You're going to have a lot to learn."

"Well, in that case," he chuckles softly, tucking her close with his chin propped against the top of her head, "please, teach me, oh wise one."

Yugi hums softly, burying her face in his chest. "It looks like you'll be a quick study."

They don't really sleep. Yugi keeps her mind awake and her senses high, taking it all in. The rise and fall of his chest beneath her head. The soft thumping of his heartbeat—an actually heartbeat—in her ear. The way he hums in contentment every few minutes, like the purring of a cat. His fingers stroking through her hair, unable to keep still even for a few minutes. All the things that make up Atem. A living, breathing, corporeal Atem. A part of her fears she'll wake up any moment now, Atem fading away. Nothing but a heartbroken dream.

But he's real, she tells herself over and over again. This is real and nothing will take Atem away from her.

Not ever again.

Banging pots jerk them out of their little bubble, Yugi's head lifting to stare at the door curiously. Who in the world could that be?

A dumb question, she realizes a second later, panic surging through her chest. She and Atem aren't really alone here.

"Grandpa!" she hisses. She scrambles up, sheets getting tangled around her legs and making her fall off the bed with a pained yelp. Yugi rubs at her sore head, Atem's face peeking over the side of the bed with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asks, blinking owlishly.

"No. Grandpa." She yanks the sheets away, getting to her knees. "Grandpa's awake."

"So?"

"You're not on the couch like you're supposed to be."

"Oh…." Worry and trepidation tighten his shoulders. He swiftly swings his legs around, sitting on the side of the bed with his hands hanging between his knees. "He can't really know I was in here all night, though. Can he?"

"Not really, but that doesn't keep him from jumping to conclusions."

"Then," he scratches the back of his head, mulling over the options, "we tell him we both woke up early and were just…hanging out?"

"I guess," Yugi mumbles uncertainly, climbing to her feet. Honestly, she's not sure how mad her grandpa will be. This is unfamiliar territory to all of them. She's never brought a guy home before. She's never even shown an interest in anyone before. With her baggage and how painfully shy she can be, she's never been able to trust anyone enough to open up like that to them.

Until Atem. Sharing the same body definitely has a way of tearing down barriers.

So guys aren't something her grandpa has ever had to worry about before. And most parents would not appreciate them spending the night in their girl's room.

"Come on," Yugi sighs, holding out her hand. "Let's go face the music."

Atem takes her hand, threading their fingers together as he gets to his feet and giving her an encouraging smile. "I'm sure it won't be that bad. And whatever he decides to do, we'll deal with it. Together."

"Yeah." Yugi stands to her tip toes, pecking his lips with a kiss. When she pulls back, she smiles. "Together."

Nothing is ever impossible so long as they're together. They'll figure out this new way of life of theirs.

They creep out of her room, listening intently for a moment. A pan sizzles and pops down the hall, the smell of bacon and grandpa's gruff humming wafting through the air. They follow it to the kitchen, pausing in the entryway for grandpa to notice them.

He glances over his shoulder as his hands work at the stove flipping bacon, giving them both a big smile. "Hello, kids! You hungry? Breakfast is just about ready."

"Uh, sure," Yugi answers, shuffling her and Atem towards the dining table. They both take seats, keeping their hands clasped on top of the table and remaining silent for now. Waiting for him to say something, make the first move. But he remains silent.

He's probably just biding his time, Yugi guesses. Or he's waiting for them to confess.

Grandpa gets the food plated and on the table, giving them each big helpings of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. He takes the seat across from them, tearing off a bite of bacon with his teeth before asking, "So did you sleep well?"

"Yep," Yugi says, popping the "p" with an awkward nod. She shovels a forkful of scrambled eggs into her mouth, chewing slowly.

"That's good." Grandpa takes a sip of his coffee with a happy sigh. "And what about you, Atem? Did you sleep alright on the couch?"

Atem shoots Yugi a nervous look before replying softly, "Yes, thank you. I slept just fine."

"It's alright if you didn't, you know." Grandpa casually scoops up some hash browns, giving them both an arched brow. "Slept on the couch, I mean."

They both stiffen, their hands squeezing tighter together. Yugi looks for reproach or disappointment or disapproval in her grandpa's gaze but only finds sparkling eyes barely holding back a laugh. "Grandpa...?"

He sets his fork down, folding his hands together on the tabletop and leaning forward on his elbows. "It's alright, Yugi. I know Atem slept in your room last night. I poked my head in to check on you a few hours after you went to bed."

Guilt claws at Yugi's stomach as heat spreads across her cheeks. She can imagine how that must have looked to him. Her eyes fall to her plate. "I'm sorry, grandpa, I—"

"No, no, my girl," her grandpa says, still no sign of the anger she expects. She chances a look up, finding him smiling at her. "It's quite alright. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know I have not lived in this century long," Atem says slowly, "but the two of us sharing a bed is not considered appropriate, correct?"

Grandpa nods. "True. But, Yugi." Grandpa reaches forward, taking Yugi's free hand. "Do you know what happened last night?"

Yugi shakes her head, no idea where he's going with this but at least it doesn't look like they're in trouble. Yet.

"Yugi. That was the first time you've slept through the night in months. I daresay this is the most well-rested I've seen you since you first moved in with me."

Yugi blinks, mouth opening and closing a few times before snapping shut. Her brow furrows as she thinks it over, trying to reach her mind back.

When she first moved in, she was plagued with nightmares every night. Her parents dying. The man coming after her again. They happened less and less as time went on—especially after the trial ended and the man got locked up for good—but her nights were still restless, finding it difficult to stay asleep and still getting the occasional nightmare.

Then Yami came. His constant presence helped ease her, but the world was in danger practically every other week then. And when he left, the nightmares got worse again, though not just what happened years ago. She dreamt of Atem leaving as well, her subconscious fueled by her grief.

Last night, however, there were no nightmares. No looming doom. No worry of danger. It was just her and Atem, safe and together and happy.

"Huh," Yugi mumbles, not really sure what else to say. She's happy. Really, truly happy. The kind of happy she never thought she'd find after her parents died.

Her grandpa gives her a soft smile, like he knows just what she's thinking. "The way I see it," he says, picking up his fork again, "the two of you have been through quite enough already. If this really helps you and makes you happy, then I'll start looking for a bigger bed for your room."

"And…you're really okay with that, with us…sharing a bed?"

He takes a bit of eggs, chewing slowly as he gives them both a look scarier than a Blue Eyes White Dragon. "I trust you, Yugi Mutou. But if I see even a hint of shenanigans going on under my roof, I won't hesitate to put one of you back on the couch. Is that understood?"

Yugi swallows heavily, nodding. "Yes, grandpa."

"Yes, grandpa," Atem echoes, nodding as well before pausing with a start. Realizing what he said. Red tinges his cheeks as he stammers out, "I-I mean, yes, Mr. Mutou. Sir."

Grandpa barks out a laugh, waving a hand at him. "Atem, my boy, you have long felt like a grandson to me. Please, call me grandpa."

Atem smiles brightly, that big, beautiful smile that lights up his whole face brighter than the sun. Yugi never really saw it before—they had few occasions for true joy back then—but now they all have that chance. To find happiness. Live a life worth living. To move on from the darkness of their pasts.

Yugi rests her head on Atem's shoulder, closing her eyes and just taking it all in. The warmth. The love. This bright future laid out in front of them that neither she nor Atem ever thought they'd have a chance at. But they're not doomed to darkness. They're not trapped in the constant battle anymore to save the world at the sake of themselves. Their own happiness is no longer forfeit.

Now they can live for themselves.

For each other.

Atem presses a kiss to her forehead, nuzzling softly. "So, partner," he says against the top of her head. "What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know, my Yami." She tilts her face up to steal a kiss, smiling against his mouth. "But if I'm with you, I'm sure it'll be fantastic."

* * *

_**Author's Note**_

_When I finished writing this chapter, I knew this fic was done. Because this felt like an ending to me. And I like where we ended. I don't know if/when I'll ever revisit this fic, but for now, I'm going to mark it as complete. If I ever do write more-because there are a few more ideas floating around in my head that may come together someday-I hope you join me once more._

_But for now, I say goodbye. And thanks, all you fabulous readers._

_Move Along fans, I do plan on getting back to that universe now. Now, with another story finally fully out of my brain, I'll hopefully be able to concentrate on giving Ari a proper ending of her own._

_Alright, I hope you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW, and see you all next time!_


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